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ABRAHAM LINCOLN
An American Migration

Only 500 copies of this work have been
printed from type, of which this is
No.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN
An American Migration
Family English Not German

WITH
PHOTOGRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS

BY
Marion Dexter Learned
Professor of the Germanic Languages and Literatures at the
University of Pennsylvania

WILLIAM J. CAMPBELL
PHILADELPHIA IQ09

Copyright, 1909
MARION DEXTER LEARNED

CC82.25G

Press of
International Printing Co
Philadelphia

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page
Chapter I.
The Lincolns in New England and New
Jersey  ,  1-20
Chapter II.
The Lincolns in Pennsylvania  21-31
Chapter III.
Abraham Lincoln in Pennsylvania  32_S6
Chapter IV.
Children of Abraham Lincoln, of Spring
field Township, Chester County, Pa. . . 57-66
Chapter V.
Children of Mordecai Lincoln of Exeter. . 67-99
Chapter VI.
John Lincoln or "Virginia John," Son of
Mordecai of Exeter  100-117
Chapter VII.
Abraham Lincoln of Virginia and Ken
tucky  1 18-129
Chapter VIII.
The Forms of the Name Lincoln  130-145

ILLUSTRATIONS

Opposite Page
Frontispiece^-A. Lincoln 
House of Mordecai Lincoln, of Exeter, as it Looks To-day 20
Will of Mordecai Lincoln, of Exeter, Pa. (First page)  26
Will of Mordecai Lincoln, of Exeter, Pa. (Second page) . . 28
Inventory of the Estate of Mordecai Lincoln, the Elder, of
Exeter, Berks County, Pa  28
Friends' Meeting House, Exeter, Berks County  30
Petition for Tavern License, Showing Signature of Abra
ham Lincoln, of Springfield  44
The Will of Abraham Lincoln, of Springfield  54
Inventory of the Estate of Abraham Lincoln, of Springfield 56
Bill of Costs of Executing Elisabeth Crowl  72
List of Petit Jury Returned by Thomas Lincoln, Sheriff of
Reading, Pa  74
First Page of the Account Book of Abraham Lincoln, of
Exeter  80
Administrators' Account of the Estate of Abraham Lin
coln, Son of Mordecai Lincoln, of Exeter (First page) . 86
Administrators' Account of the Estate of Abraham Lin
coln, Son of Mordecai Lincoln, of Exeter (Second
page)  86
Administrator's Account of the Estate of Ann Lincoln,
Widow of Abraham Lincoln, of Exeter  88
First Two Pages of the Old "Lincoln Record"  92
Receipt Showing the Signature of John Lincoln  106
Deed of John and Rebecca Lincoln to Isaac Lincoln, Con
veying Land on Linville's Creek in 1773  112
Deed of John and Rebecca Lincoln to Isaac Lincoln, Con
veying Land on Linville's Creek in 1773  112
Signature of Jacob Lincoln, Son of "Virginia John"
Lincoln  1 18
Old Lincoln House on Linville's Creek, Rockingham
County, Virginia  122
Signature of Abraham and Bathseba Lincoln, Grand
father and Grandmother of President Lincoln  126

viii ILLUSTRATIONS Opposite Page
Present View of Linville's Creek Where it Passes Through
the Original Lincoln Tracts  128
Marriage Certificate of Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks 130
Marriage Bond and Certificate of Thomas Lincoln  132
Deed Showing the Correct Name of "Lincoln,'' Not
"Linkhorn"  134
Old Lincoln Cabin Near Springfield, Washington County,
Kentucky  136
The Cabin in Which Abraham Lincoln, the President,
Was Born February 12, 1809  138
Warrant Issued to Abraham Lincoln, in Kentucky, Show
ing the Name "Linkhorn"  142
Survey of the first Warrant of Land to Abraham Lincoln
in Kentucky (then Virginia)  144
Map of the Migration of the Lincolns from Hingham,
Mass., to Kentucky  146

PREFACE
The following researches into the family of Ab
raham Lincoln, in America, are the outgrowth of
a suggestion made by Dr. G. Langmann, of New
York City, and were carried out by the encourage
ment which he gave. In 1901, Louis P. Hennig-
hausen, Attorney-at-Law, in Baltimore, Maryland,
published in the Report for the Society of the His
tory of the Germans, in Maryland, an interesting ar
ticle entitled "Abraham Lincoln or Linkhorn" sup
porting the view that Abraham Lincoln, the Presi
dent of the United States, was descended from a
German family by the name of Linkhorn. The argu
ment was built up with much skill and found quite
general acceptance among the Germans of America,
giving rise to German poetry on Lincoln, the Ger
man President. In 1903, Dr. G. Langmann, wish
ing to have the question investigated in detail, re
quested the present writer to have some trained aca
demic man from the University of Pennsylvania
examine into the records of Lincoln's origin, and
publish the results. Failing to find any one with
sufficient time to devote to a thorough investiga
tion of the subject, the present writer undertook
the work himself. He examined all available rec
ords in the several states through which the Lin
coln family migrated to Kentucky, namely Mass-
(ix)

X PREFACE
achusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland,
Virginia, and that part of Transilvanian Virginia,
now known as Kentucky. In the course of the in
vestigation, he unearthed and exploited much orig
inal matter relating to the Lincoln family in their
American wanderings.
The simple question of settling the name "Lin
coln," or "Linkhorn," and its origin soon assumed
the more extended form of a study of the Lincoln
family as a typical American migration. It is this
two-fold form of the investigation which is pub
lished in the following pages.
The author wishes to express his indebtedness to
the following persons and institutions:
Former Governor S. W. Pennypacker, who al
lowed the author to make use of his rich collec
tion of manuscripts; George F. Baer, President of
the Reading Railroad, who generously turned over
his notes on the Lincoln family in Berks County;
Louis Richards, President of the Berks County His
torical Society, who gave access to his valuable
Note Books; B. F. Owen, of the Berks County
Historical Society, who assisted the writer in using
the Archives of the Society; Albert Cook My
ers, of Moylan, Pa., for valuable assistance and
the Exeter cut; George C. Beekman, of Red Bank,
New Jersey, for information touching the Bownes
and Sal tars of that state; Major Armour, of
Harrisburg, Pa., who allowed the author to use
the Account Books of John Harris; General John

PREFACE XI
E. Roller, of Harrisonburg, Virginia, who intro
duced the author to the Lincolns in Rockingham
County, Virginia; Gilbert Cope, of West Chester,
Pa., who permitted the use of his valuable collec
tion of Chester County papers; L. P. Hennighau-
sen, of Baltimore, for information concerning the
Lincolns of Maryland and Loudoun County, Vir
ginia; Colonel R. T. Durrett, of Louisville, Ken
tucky, who kindly furnished photographs of Lin
coln documents; T. B. Fitzpatrick, of Hodgenville,
Kentucky, for the privilege of using photographs of
the Lincoln houses, published in his Lincoln Souve
nir; the Librarians of the Historical Society of
Pennsylvania, the Historical Society of Virginia,
the Historic-Geneological Society of Massachusetts,
the State Library and Department of Public Rec
ords, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; the Secretary and
his Assistant of the Department of Internal Affairs,
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; the Office of Recorder
of Deeds, in Freehold, New Jersey, in Philadelphia,
West Chester, Reading and Lancaster, Pennsylva
nia, in Elkton, Maryland, and in Stanton, Harri
sonburg and Winchester, Virginia, and also the
Office of the Secretary of State, Trenton, New
Jersey, and the Archives in the Surveyor's Office at
Perth Amboy, New Jersey.
The following members of the Lincoln family
have aided in furnishing information and giving
access to original materials :
Dr. J. E. Lincoln, Lacy Spring, Va. ; Miss Kate

XU PREFACE
Pannebecker, of Linville, Va. ; Mrs. Parvin (nee
Lincoln), of Leesport, Pa.; Mr. David Lincoln, of
Birdsboro, Pa. ; Mr. Richard Lincoln and Harrison
G. Lincoln, and family, of Reading, Pa. ; Mr.
Francis H. Lincoln, of Boston, Mass.
As the aim of this study was not to furnish a
family tree of the Lincolns in America, which task
is being performed by the Geneologist, Mr. J. Henry
Lea, the author of this work was happy to be
able to turn over to Mr. Lea many of his geneologi-
cal notes relating to the date of John Lincoln's
migration to Virginia and the Lincoln epitaphs in
the old graveyard on Linvill's Creek, for incorpora
tion into Mr. Lea's Ancestry of Abraham Lincoln,
and to receive in exchange some useful suggestions
from Mr. Lea.
The documentary character of this investigation
seemed to justify the printing of the most important
deeds and other original papers in full. An effort
has been made to give the exact text of these rec
ords in the original orthography. In some cases it
was difficult to decide about the intended use of
capitals in the originals, particularly in the case of
the letters S and C, which were often written in
such a way as to leave it doubtful whether the let
ters were intended to be large or small. Glaring
mistakes in the original text are usually marked
thus: [sic]
The Author.
Philadelphia,
Thanksgiving Day, 1908.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN
AN AMERICAN MIGRATION
Family English not German.

CHAPTER I.
THE LINCOLNS IN NEW ENGLAND AND NEW JERSEY.
As the Germans have given currency to the the
ory that Abraham Lincoln, the President of the
United States, was of German ancestry and de
scended from a forebear by the name of "Link
horn," in Pennsylvania, it has seemed worth while
to test this theory in the light of the records of the
Lincoln family. This study of the original docu
ments relating to the Lincolns in the various signifi
cant centres of settlement in the colonial period
makes it possible to follow the history of the mi
gration of one of the most typical families in Amer
ica and to trace the motives prompting the
migration. Abraham Lincoln, the President, knew very little
about the history of his family, as is shown by a
passage in a letter which he wrote, while a Member
of Congress, in 1848, to Hon. Solomon Lincoln, of
Hingham, Massachusetts: "My father's name is
Thomas. My grandfather's was Abraham, the

2 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
same as my own. My grandfather went from Rock
ingham County, Virginia, to Kentucky about the
year 1782, and two years afterwards was killed by
the Indians. We have a vague tradition that my
grandfather went from Pennsylvania to Virginia,
and that he was a Quaker. Further than this I have
never heard anything. It may do no harm to say
that 'Abraham' and 'Mordecai' are common names
in the Lincoln family."
In an article contributed to Johnson's Encyclopae
dia in 1859, Lincoln traces his ancestry, in a general
way, back to New England. He had only a faint
tradition of the connecting links in the migration of
the various branches of the family from New Eng
land, and found the two chief arguments for his
New England origin in the family tradition that
they came from Massachusetts, and in the persistent
recurrence of certain Christian names in the Lin
coln family, as we have seen in the letter quoted
above. This statement is particularly interesting,
as it reflects the crude condition of American geneal
ogy, even in the case" of the family of a President
of the United States, in the middle of the nineteenth
century. This brief and indistinct outline of the
Lincoln genealogy has been brought out into bold
relief since the President's tragic death, and many
missing links have been supplied by the genealogists,
so that we are now in a position to trace with cer
tainty the lineage of the great martyr President.
Even a decade later a biographer of Lincoln

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 3
writes the following concerning the residence of the
Lincolns in Pennsylvania: "Where the Lincolns of
Berks County (Pa.) came from, no records have as
yet divulged, but they are believed to have been
Quakers, and to have escaped from the intolerance
of Massachusetts to the friendly soil of Pennsyl
vania." * Although this confession of ignorance on
the part of the biographer appears to us now little
less than naive, it is worthy of note, as this indiffer
ence and superficiality have not entirely disappeared
from American biography.
The name Lincoln is clearly connected with the
place and shire name "Lincoln" (Lind + Colonia)
in England and is easily traced in the local records
of Lincoln, as may be seen in the Lincoln Marriage
Licenses* recently published, in which are found the
following entries :
"[a. 1612] John Lincoln of Witherne, yeom., aet
50, & ffaithe Cooke, of Libble Carl
ton, wid., aet. 34. appln. by Wm
Hundleby, of Witherne, yeom.
[a. 1623] Rich. Lincoln of the Bail of Lincoln,
yeom., aet. 28, & Susan Wood, of
.same Spr, aet. 26. appln. by ffrancis
Walker, of same, yeom."
The researches of J. Henry Lea and J. R. Hutch-

*Cf. Biographical Sketch of His Excellency, Lincoln,
Late President of the United States. By Charles Henry
Hart, LL. B. (Reprinted from the Introduction to the Bib-
liographia Lincolniana. Albany, Joel Munsel, 1870, page 4.)

4 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
inson, in a forthcoming work, have traced the Lin
colns back to Robert Lincoln in England, about
1540, in an unmistakable line leading down to the
Lincolns of Hingham in England and of Hingham,
Massachusetts, in New England.
THE LINCOLNS IN MASSACHUSETTS.
The history of the Lincolns, as we have it now
from various sources, shows us that they came
from Hingham in England and settled at and
near Hingham, Massachusetts. The first settlement
at Hingham, Massachusetts, was made by the Rev.
Peter Hobart and twenty-nine others, who had land
apportioned to them by lot September 18, 1735.
The next year, 1736, lands were granted to the fol-
f ollowing Lincolns : Thomas Lincoln, the miller ;
Thomas Lincoln, the weaver, and Thomas Lincoln,
the cooper. The following year, 1737, land was
granted also to Samuel Lincoln, the brother of
Thomas Lincoln, the weaver.**
Thomas Uincoln, the miller, was born in England
in 1603, and died in Taunton, Massachusetts, in 1683.
He first settled in Hingham, Massachusetts, and re
moved about 1652 to Taunton. He was called "the
miller" to distinguish him from the other prominent
Thomas Lincoln of Hingham, who was a large land
owner and was known as Thomas Lincoln, the hus
bandman, thus making the fourth Thomas Lincoln
who settled in Hingham. This Thomas Lincoln, the
husbandman, came from Wyndham, England, in
** Cf . the articles on the Lincoln Family by Shackford and
Egle, also Hart's Biographical Sketch of His Excellency
Lincoln.

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 5
1638, and married about 1642 Margaret, the daugh
ter of Richard Sanger, of Hingham. In addition to
these four Thomases and Samuel Lincoln, two other
Lincolns settled in the same region: Stephen Lin
coln, the brother of Thomas Lincoln, the husband
man, and Daniel Lincoln.
Samuel Lincoln, who came over as a "servant"
or apprentice, seems to have been the most modest
of all the Lincolns in point of property. In the
Office of Rolls in London is found the following
reference to him: "Francis Lawes, born in Nor
wich, Norfolk County, and lining weaver, aged — ,
and Liddea, his wife, aged 49, with one child, Mary,
and two servants: Samuel Lincoen, aged 18 years,
and Ann Smith, aged 19 years — are desirous to pass
to New England to inhabit." These people went
to New England with William Andrews, of Ipswich,
Master of the ship John and Dorothy, of
Ipswich, and William, his son, Mr. of the Rose
of Yarmouth, April 18, 1637.* It was this Samuel
Lincoln, the "servant," who by the irony of democ
racy became the progenitor of the family of Abra
ham Lincoln, the President of the United States of
America. Samuel Lincoln thus came from Norwich,
England, in the year 1637, at the age of 18 years.
He died May 26, 1690. He married Martha (Lewis),
who died April 10, 1693. Ten children were the
issue of this union. The eldest son, Samuel, became
the progenitor of Lincolns of prominence in Massa-
* Cf. Chicago Tribune, Apr. 14, 1883.

6 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
chusetts. The fourth son, Mordecai, was born June
17, 1657, in Hingham, and died October 13, 1727,
in Scituate, Massachusetts.* This Mordecai was the
great, great, great grandfather of Abraham Lincoln,
the President. Mordecai Lincoln was a blacksmith
by trade, and established the first smelting furnace
in New England. He was a large contributor to
wards the erection of the Iron Works at Bound
Brook, Massachusetts, which comprised as their
chief feature a Catalan forge for making wrought
iron.** There is record of him as a foot-soldier of
Hingham, Massachusetts, in 1679, and as a black
smith in Hull about 1680. In the years 1680 to
1685 he is found among the taxables and is assessed
2/4 Bull, for money there in 1684. His land, or
residence, is mentioned in the deed given by Benja
min Bosworth and his wife, Beatrice, to Robert
Gould Hull, December 14, 1682. His uncle, Thomas
Lincoln, the weaver, appears as witness of a deed
in 1698.***
A deed in the possession of George Lincoln, of
Hingham, dated December 21, 1713, contains the

* Cf . Chicago Tribune, April 14, 1883. (Cp. Cincinnati
Gazette, Oct. 6, 1882, referring to Mr. S. Bernard Elliott, of
Pataskala, O., as having fixed the pedigree of President
Lincoln.) ** Cf. James M. Swank, History of the Manufacture of
Iron in All Ages, and Particularly in the United States, from
Colonial Times to 1801. (Second Edition, Philadelphia, 1892,
page 505.)
*** Cf. Ms. Notes on the Lincoln Family in the Massachu
setts Hist. Genealogical Society, Boston.

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 7
following information: "George Jackson, of Mar-
blehead, sells to Mordecai Lincoln, of Scituate,
"blacksmith," two parcels of salt-meadow land lying
and being in Cohassett, then the Township of Hing
ham, one of which is bounded East by a brook or
river called Bound Brook."
Mordecai, the blacksmith, married Sarah, the
daughter of Abraham and Sarah (Whitman) Jones.
He moved first from Hingham to Hull, and about
1704 to the neighborhood of Scituate, where he
built his furnace for smelting ore. Mordecai and
Sarah Lincoln had the following children: Morde
cai, Abraham, Isaac and Sarah — all born at Hing
ham, Massachusetts — and Elizabeth and Jacob, born
at Scituate, Massachusetts. In 1727, Mordecai Lin
coln, of Hull, willed his sons and executors, Isaac
and Jacob, his real estate in Hingham and Scituate.
To his other sons, Mordecai and Abraham, he gave
no pounds and 160 pounds, respectively, in money
and bills of credit. These were the sons, doubtless,
who had gone to settle in Monmouth County, New
Jersey, adjoining Middlesex, in which county (near
Woodbridge) the Massachusetts families of Ilsleys,
Moores, Hales, Rolfes, Pikes and others had settled.
It would appear that the Lincolns had found
their way to New Jersey and Maryland before
1700. There is mention of Lincoln's Inn, Middle
sex County, as early as April 5, 1685, and March
4, 1 69 1 -2, showing that the name was fresh in the

8 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
minds of the early settlers. In Maryland a num
ber of important entries, particularly in the land
records of Cecil County, date back to the same
early period. The following entry, for example,
shows that there was already a tract of land in Cecil
County, called by the name of "Linckhorne," after
the manner of plantations in the South :
Maryland Ss/ Know all men by these presents
that wee Jonathan Linckhorne and Alexander
MccKey [McKoy] of Cecell County planters have
leased Lett Assigned & Sett over unto Wm Blay of
ye Said County ***** tract called Linck
horne wch lies on yb East Side of yfc Mill branch
[for a term of 99 years from date (April 27,
1704). Consideration £5000 of tobacco],
Jonathan Linckhorn (Seal)
his
Alex1-. M Mackey (Seal)
mark
Witnesses :
Wm Wilson
Peter Allaby
his
Jn° — Linckhorne
mark
[Recorded August 16, 1704. Copied in unbound
deed book pp. 188-189, Court House, Elkton,
Maryland.]*
Wm. Lincolne appears among the witnesses of
the will of Richard Wells, Sr., in Anne Arundel Co.,

* From the notes of Albert Cook Myers.

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 9
Md., June 22, 1667, and Anne and Jon. Lincoln as
witnesses of the will of Nathaniel Garrett, Cecil Co.,
Md., Apr. 27, 1688.
It is worthy of note that the names Lincoln (or
Linckhorne) and McCoy (or McKay), found to
gether here in Maryland, and the names Lincoln (or
Lincon) and Schenck (or Shanks), found together
in New Jersey, are all met with again in the Valley
of Virginia in the latter half of the eighteenth
century. THE LINCOLNS IN NEW JERSEY.
It cannot be reasonably questioned that Mordecai
Lincoln and Abraham, his brother, of Monmouth
County, New Jersey, were the two sons whom Mor
decai Lincoln, of Hull, Massachusetts, mentioned in
his will in 1727. The circumstantial evidence is
quite convincing. First, the fact that the father
gave the children at home his land, but to the two
brothers, Mordecai and Abraham, their portion in
cash, would indicate that they had gone away from
home. Second, these two Lincolns, Mordecai and
Abraham, are not found in any records of that
period, except in those of Monmouth County, New
Jersey. Third, these two brothers, Mordecai and
Abraham, are found in New Jersey in a settlement
made by New Englanders, largely from Massachu
setts. The exact date of the settlement of Mordecai and
Abraham Lincoln in East Jersey has not been defi-

IO ABRAHAM LINCOLN
nitely determined. The earliest record of a Lincoln
in New Jersey is a reference to Mordecai Lincoln
found in the will of Captain John Bowne, a mer
chant of Middletown, New Jersey. The will is
dated September the 14th, 17 14, and shows that
Mordecai Lincoln was already married to Hannah
Saltar, daughter of Richard and Sarah (Bowne)
Saltar, of Freehold, New Jersey, and was evidently
settled there. In accordance with the terms of this
will, John Bowne bequeathed to his niece, Hannah
(Saltar) Lincoln, the sum of 250 pounds. The text
of the will runs as follows :
In the Name of God Amen This fourteenth day
of September in the year of Our Lord 1714, — I
John Bowne of Midletown Merchant being sick
and Weake in body but of perfect mind and mem
ory thanks to God therefore but Calling to mind
the Mortality of the body and that it is appointed
[once] for all men once to die do make and or
dain this my last Will and Testament; first and
principally J give and bequeath my soul into the
hands of God that gave it and my body J recom
mend to the Earth to be buried in a Christian like
and decent Manner at the discretion of my Execu
tors here after Named and as to my worldly Estate
J give and dispose of the Same in manner follow
ing, Imprimus my Will is that all my Just debts
be all paid and discharged ; Item I give to my wife
Frances Bowne the Sum of four hundred pounds
money of the Province aforesaid in Right of her
Dowry Jtem J give and bequeath to my Sister Sa-

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 11
rah Saltar all my Plate and the bed whereon J
lye and furniture. Jtem J give to Gersham Mot
the the sum of two hundred pounds for the use of
his Children. Jtem J give to Joseph Dennis one
hundred and twenty pounds, to Ieremiah White
the sum of one hundred and twenty pounds, Jtem
to Thomas Saltar and John Saltar and Hannah
Lincon and to William Hartshorn's three Eldest
Chilldren the sum of two hundred and fifty pounds
to each of them. The Rest of my Estate both
Real, and Personall I Will to be Equally Divided
between my Brother Obadiah Bowne and my
Brother Richard Saltar, their Heirs and Assigns
for Ever, Whome I do hereby appoint Sole Ex
ecutors of this my last Will and Testament Jn
witness whereof J have hereunto set my hand and
Seal the day and year first above written.John Bowne.
Signed, Sealed and Delivered
in Presence of
James Paul
Joseph Dennis
Marget Commen*
[Affidavits of witnesses & certificates of Ro.
Hunter, Governor.]
Mordecai Lincoln is appears as "Mordecai Lin-
horn" among the mortgagors in the inventory of
Capt. John Bowne's estate in 1714.
Another reference to Mordecai Lincoln in East

* Will of John Bowne Sept. 14, 1714, Recorded in A 10 &
recorded with affidavits A 27, State House, Trenton.

12 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
New Jersey, is found in a letter of John Saltar to
his uncle, Obediah Bowne, executor of Captain John
Bowne, dated April 25th, 1716. The part of the let
ter in question runs as follows : April 25th 1 716.
Honord vncle Bowne
I have Sent by my father Such writings as were
in my hands & appurtaining to the Estate of my
decd vncle Capt John Bowne. Neare fifty pound
in them my vncle had given to me, not many
weeks before he dyed, & time failing the property
of the debt was not altered in my Name soe be
cause I cannot fairly pretend to proceed to Se
cure myself wthout yor loane [ ?] I have thought fit
to remitt ye same to ye Estate. Haueing onely an
order to take Security for the Same to my owne
use from vndr his hand & Soe Expect yt yo will
be favorable to me on y1 Score; I depend on your
Courtesy y* which was given to me is not in ye
Inventary, I have alsoe Send a bond from John
Chenoath to my vncle vnder Such like Circum
stances for ten pounds & not altered as was or
dered & Intended to my brother Lincon— the
whole that is giuen and Secured to my brother
Thomas Mardden [Madden?] & my self amounts
in all to about four hundred & twenty pounds or
thereabouts ***********
Yor Ever faithful & obedient Nephew,
John Saltar*

* This letter was found in 1907 in the possession of Mr.
William Crawford, near Red Bank, N. J., who allowed the
present writer to photograph it.

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 1 3
The importance of this letter for us is to be found
in the fact that in it John Saltar calls Mordecai Lin
coln, or Lincon, his brother, thus showing that Mor
decai Lincoln's wife, Hannah Saltar, was John Sal-
tar's sister, and so establishing an important fam
ily relation for the New Jersey record of the
Lincolns. The next trace which we have of Mordecai Lin
coln in East Jersey appears in a law suit begun by
Obediah Bowne in the Monmouth County court,
in the year 171 6, and continued for a period
of four years. The brief minutes of this trial are
still extant in the original manuscript Court Book in
Freehold, New Jersey, and afford such an interest
ing glimpse into the Jersey court procedure of that
early time that they seemed worthy of insertion
here : Court of Com Pleas Feb 28, 1716
Obadiah Bowne
Admr &c
u
Mordecaj Lincoln
Debt
£140The Like Rule [Plaint. 20 Days to file Declar &
Defend* 20 Days to give in Special Bail & to Plead
as the Law Directs] Nonsuit for Want of a
Proper Power of Attorney.

14 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Court Session May 35, 1717 (8 a. m.)
Obadiah Bowne
Administrator &c
u
Mordecaj Lincoln
Debt£140 After hearing Mr. Vernon for yB PI1 & Mr Gor
don for the Defend* Court allowed a Non Pros.
Court Aug 27, 1 7 19
Obadiah Bowne Admr
u
Mordecaj Lincorn
Debt £140 Non Est Court 28 November 1719
Obadiah Bowne Admr
of Elis : Bowne Deced
u
Mordecaj Linckorn
Debt £140 Non Est

Obadiah Bowne Admr
u
Mordecaj Lincon &
Richard Saltar
Debt £140

Court May 27, 1720

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 1 5
Mr. Kinsey P PI* Ordered that the Sherif Bring
ye Body That the PI* Declare Twenty Days The
Defend* to Give Sp : Bail in the like Time.
Nonsuit to ye action u Saltar for Want of Let
ters adminis & Nonsuit to ye action u Lincon
for Want of a Declar. Court Aug 27. 1720
Obadiah Bowne Admr
[u]
Mordecaj Lincon &
Richard Saltar
Debt £140Ordered that the Nonsuits in this action be set
aside that Lincon have Twenty Days time to give
Special Bail and that Each of them have Twenty
Days time to Plead, Mr. Kinsey to Declare against
Lincoln in the Same time upon Payment of costs
by Mr. Saltar the Action against Lincon With
drawn by Consent of the PI* attorney.
In the jury which sat at the Court of Common
Pleas August 29, 171 7, we find Mordecai Lincoln,
Jonathan Borden and Benjamin Borden.
Mordecai Lincoln appears also in another suit
brought by him against John Liming, November
the 30th, 1 72 1, and continued until November 29th,
1722. The proceedure is briefly recorded in the
Court Book as follows, and shows that Mordecai
Lincoln, either in person or through his attorney,
transacted business in New Jersey at this time :

*6 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Court Nov. 30 1721
Mordecaj Lincon
u
John Liming
Debt *
£.. 9.. — Non est
Court Mar 1 1721
Mordecaj Lincon
u
John Liming
Debt £11.. 9. — Non est
Court Nov. 29, 1722.
Mordecaj Lincon
u
John Liming
Debt Mr. P. Plaintif
£11.. 9.. The Like Rule.
The last direct reference to Mordecai Lincoln as
resident in New Jersey is found in the following
deed issued by Richard Saltar to Mordecai Lincoln
under date of February 2d, 1720:
This Indenture made this Second Day of Febru
ary in ye Sixth year of his Majestys Reign King
George &c over Great Brittain France and Ireland
Defender of ye faith &c Annoq Domini one thou
sand seven hundred and twenty Between Richard
Saltar of the Towne of freehold County of Mon
mouth and and [sic!] Province of New Jersey of

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 1 7
ye one Party and Mordecai Lincon of of [sic!] ye
Same of the other Party Witnesseth y* y6 said
Richard Saltar for and in Consideration of ye
sum of one hundred and and fifty two Pounds
Curant Money of ye Province aforesaid to ye
said Richard Saltar by ye sa Lincon already in
hand Paid the receipt whereof he ye said Rich
ard Saltar Does hereby owne and that he is there
with fully Satisfyed and Paid and thereof and
therefrom Does hereby fully clearly and absolutely
aquit Release and Discharge ye said Mordecai
Lincon his Heirs Exts & adms and every of them
forever, Hath given granted Bargained sould
aliened Enfeoffed Released and discharged and
by these Presence Doth give grant Bargain Sell
and Confirme unto him ye said Mordecai Lincon
his heirs and assigns forever all those Tracts of
Land & Meadow on Machaponix River & Gravill
Brook in the County of Middlesex, the first Tract
Is bounded on said Matchaponix River on ye
South by ye Pine Brook East by the Land now
or Late of Will"1 Estill on ye west, and by Land
unsurveyed on ye North also all that Tract
Bounded westerly by Gravill Brook Southerly by
the Land of William Estill from ye Mouth of
Long Meadow Run Easterly & Northerly by Land
unsurveyed. Also all yfc Long Meadow. Upon ye
sd Long Meadow Run Bounded west by ye Last
Mentioned Tract of Land and all round ye other
side up Upland Unsurveyed In all containing four
Hundred are. [acres] More or Less besides allow
ance for barron Land and High Ways with all the
Royaltys Proffets advantages Hereditaments &

1 8 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
appurtenances to ye said Land and Meadow Be
longing or in anywise apertaining also all ye
Estate Right title Interest claime and Demand
W*soever of ye said Richard Saltar of in & to
or out of ye Same on any Part of them as amply
and fully to all Intents & Purposes asye same ward
[sic] conveyed and assured to him by a certain
Deed of Sale Bearing Date ye seventh Day of No
vember Annoq Domini 17 17 from John Reid Es
quire to have and to hold ye said Severall Tracts
of Land and Premises with their appurtenances
unto him ye said Mordecai Lincon his heirs and as
signs to ye only Euse and behoof of ye said Morde
cai Lincon his heirs and assigns forever and the
said Richard Saltar Doth for himself his heirs exs
and adms to and with yc said Mordecai Lincon his
heirs and assigs [sic] Covenant Promise and agree
In yc Manner and forme following Viz: that the
Granted and Bargained Premises with ye ap
purtenances are free and Clear of Incumbrances
and that ye said Richard Saltar hath good Right
full Power and Law full Authority to Sell and
Confirme ye Same In Manner aforesaid and y* ye
said Richard Saltar his heirs Exs & Adms Shall
and will forever warrant and Defend ye Same In
ye Peacable and quiet Possession and Seizen of
him the said Mordecai Lincon his heirs and as
signs against all Persons whatsoever In Witness
whereof the said Richard Saltar hath hereunto
set his hand and Seale ye day and year first above
written. Richard Saltar (S)
Sealed and Delivered In the Presence of
Thomas Cox, R. Saltar Jun1'.

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 1 9
April 5, 1727 Then appeared before John An
derson Esq1- one of his Magestys Councill for the
Province of New Jersey Richard Saltar Junr a
Subscribing Evidence to the above written Instru
ment who being Solemnly sworn on the Holy
Evangelists of Almighty God did declare that he
saw Richard Saltar therein Named Execute the
same as his Act and Deed.
Examd by Tho3 Barrow Sec.
In the year 1728 in the inventory of Elizabeth
Salter's Estate mention is made of a debt due Mor
decai Lincon.* NATHAN LINCOLN OF NEW JERSEY.
There is record in Sussex County, New Jersey, of
another Lincoln, Nathan by name, whom we have
not been able to trace elsewhere. The document in
question is the will of Nathan Lincoln (or Linken)
beginning and closing as follows :
"I, nathan Linken [Linkon?] of Sussex County
& Westrin division of ye province of New Jersey
*************** Signed, sealed, published pronounced & deliv
ered by the sd Nathan Linken to be his last Will
in presence of us
John Wood her
Mary [X] Young,
mark
Brice Bicky."

* Cf. New Jersey Archives, First Series xxiii, p. 401.

20 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
The will is dated August 7th, 1763. It was re
corded January 14th, 1767. By a strange mistake,
the signature of the testator was misread as Nathan
Metopon, instead of Nathan Linken, and was calen
dared under Metopon. It was only by accident that
the present writer discovered the identity of this
Metopon and thus discovered this third Jersey
Lincoln. It lies beyond the purpose of this study to attempt
to trace the relation of this Nathan Lincoln to Mor
decai and Abraham of Monmouth County, New Jer
sey, on the one hand, or to the Maryland Lincolns
on the other.

House of Mordecai Lincoln, of Exeter, as it Looks To-day.
( By the Courtesy of the Present Owner, Richard Lincoln. )

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 21

CHAPTER II.
THE LINCOLNS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
Both Mordecai Lincoln and his brother Abraham
Lincoln migrated from New Jersey to Pennsylvania,
where they spent the remainder of their lives, each
rearing a numerous family. It is in Pennsylvania
that we find the most abundant information of the
Lincoln family. Scores of references to the Lin
colns are still preserved in the land records of Har
risburg, Philadelphia, West Chester and Reading,
as will appear in the documents printed below.
MORDECAI LINCOLN IN PENNSYLVANIA.
Mordecai Lincoln begins to appear in the Penn
sylvania records in 1720 and we may suppose that
he migrated from East Jersey to Pennsylvania some
time, probably soon, after February 2nd of that year.
In the old burying ground near Allentown, Penn
sylvania, is found an epitaph which reads "To the
Memory of Deborah Lincoln, Aged 3 yrs. 4 mos.
May 15, 1720." This probably refers to a child of
Mordecai and Hannah Lincoln. The name of Mor
decai Lincoln is found in the tax lists of Chester
County, Pennsylvania, in 1720 and the following
years, as these extracts from the original lists will
show :

22 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
1720 near ye Branches of the French Creek &
Brandywine
Mordecay Lncoln 3s. d.
1722 Nantmeal
Mordecai Lincoln 2s. 6d.
1724 Coventry
Mordecay LinColn 4s. 4d.
1725 Coventry
Mordecay Lincolin 3s. d.
These tax lists show that Mordecai Lincoln was
assessed both in the township of Nantmeal and in
that of Coventry "near ye branches of the French
Creek & Brandywine." We learn further particu
lars about his land in Coventry in another document
entitled "Articles of Agreement" between Samuel
Nut, William Branson and Mordecai Lincoln, dated
February 28th, 1723:
"Articles of Agreement Indented made and
Concluded the Twenty Eighth Day of February
Anno Doni 1723/4 Between Samuel Nut of the
Township of Coventry upon the French Creek in
Chester County Ironmonger of the first Part Wil
liam Branson of the City of Phila. Merch*. of the
Second Part and Mordecai Lincoln of Coventry
aforesd. Ironmonger of the Third Part In Man
ner following that is to say —
Whereas The sd Samuel Nut William Branson
and Mordecai Lincoln Have at their Joint Charge
lately erected Built and provided one Dwelling
House and a Forge with Engines belonging to

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 23
their Iron Works besides other Buildings & Erec
tions Situate Lying and being on a Certain Tract
of Land at French Creek aforesd. * * *
Articles of Agreement Indented made and Con
cluded the Twenty-eighth Day of February Anno
Doni 1723 Between Samuel Nutt of the Town
ship of Coventry upon the French Creek in
Chester County Ironmonger of the first Part Mor
decai Lincoln of Coventry aforesd. Ironmonger of
the Second Part and William Branson of the City
of Phila. Merch*. of the third Part In Manner
following that is to say —
Know all men by these Press that I Mordecai
Lincoln of Coventry In the County Chester for
and in Consideration of the Sum of Five Hundred
Pounds of Current Lawful Money of America to
me in Hand paid by William Branson of Phila.
Merch*. The Receipt whereof I do hereby Ac
knowledge and thereof do Exonerate Acquit and
for Ever Discharge the sd William Branson his
Heirs For Ever have bargained sold remised re
leased and quitclaimed And by these Presents Do
Bargain sell remise release and for Ever quit claim
unto him the said William Branson his Heirs and
Assigns for Ever all and Singular the one full un
divided third Part of One Hundred Acres of Land
as also one full undivided third Part of six Acres
of Land Together with all my Right Title Interest
and Claim whatsoever of in or to the aforesd un
divided Rights according to Articles of Aggreem*
made Between Samuel Nutt of the one Part and
Mordecai Lincoln of the other part Together with

24 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
all and Singular the Mynes and Minerals Forges
Building Houses Lands Improvements whatsoever
thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining to
the only proper Use and Behoof of him the said
William Branson his Heirs and Assigns for Ever
in witness whereof I have hereunto Set my
Hand and Seal the fourteenth Day of December.
1725 mordecai Lincoln
Sealed & Delivered
In presence of
Jona Robeson
v Jam Sheary*
Recorded by John Kinsey Jan. 4 1744/5.
The next reference to Mordecai Lincoln in Penn
sylvania is a deed of Richard Saltar to Mordecai
Lincoln, dated May 26th, 1726. In this deed Mor
decai Lincoln is mentioned as "of the County of
Chester in the prov'ce of Pensilvania." The docu
ment runs as follows:
This Indenture Witnesseth That Richard
Saltar of Frehold in the County of Monmouth
& Provce of New Jersey Yeoman for and in Con
sideration of the full and Just sum of  pounds
in hand paid to the said Richard Saltar by Mor
decai Lincon of the County of Chester in the
Provce of Pensilvania the Rec* whereof the
said Richd doth hereby Acknowledge and is there
with fully Satisfied Contented and paid & thereof

* Power of Attorney D. 2. v. 2, p. 370, Department of
Internal Affairs, Harrisburg, Pa.

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 25
and from every part & parcell thereof doth fully
clearly and absolutely Aquit Exonerate and dis
charge him the said Mordecai Lincon his heirs and
Assigns forever Hath granted Bargained and sould
unto the said Mordecai Lincon his Heirs & assigns
forever All that Tract of Land lying in the County
of Midelsex in New Jersey aforesaid Beginning at
a Black Oak Tree marked on four sides standing
On the North side of a small slough or run wch
is on the North side of a Farm formerly Wm
Estell, from thence running North thirty nine de
grees westerly Seventeen chains to Matchaponix
River thence down the same to the Mouth of a
Brook which is One of Robt Barclays Corners &
running from the first mentioned Black Oak Tree
att the Beginning South forty eight degrees East
erly forty chains more or less to the reere Lines
of sd Estills Farme thence along the same North
& by East & half a point easterly to his corner
where a small run comes into the brook thence
down the Brook to the above named Barclays cor
ner On Matchaponix River — Which Tract of Land
by Estimation One Hundred Acres more or less.
To Have and To Hold the said Tract of Land
with the appurtenances and privileges to the same
belonging or in any wise apertaining to him the
said Mordecai his heirs and assigns forever as
fully & amply to all intents purposes & Construc
tions whatsoever as the same was made Over to
the said Richard Saltar by deeds of Sale from
Dugle Mackolom bearing date the fifteenth day
of July Anno Q D Domini 1719 and not other
wise Jn Witness whereof J have hereunto Sett

26 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
my Hand and Seale this Twenty sixth day of
May Anno Q. Domini 1726. Richard Saltar (L. S.)
Sealed & Delivered
in the Presence of
her
Geo X Morlat
mark
Richard Saltar Jun
Ebenezer Saltar
April 5th 1727 Then appeared before John An
derson Esq1- One of his Majestys Council for the
Province of New Jersey Richard Saltar Junr who
being solemnly Sworn on the Holly Evangelists
of Almighty God did declare that he saw Rich
ard Saltar above Named execute the same as his
Act and Deed. John Anderson Examined &
agrees with the original the word (Lincen*) in
the IIth line underlined was by mistake in Re
cording. John Terrill Reg
In the year 1730 Mordecai Lincoln acquired of
Thomas Millard 303 acres of land (being a part of
the thousand acres granted to Andrew Robeson Feb
ruary 20th, 1 718, willed by him to his son Jonathan
Robeson, and granted by the last named to Thomas
Millard, October 27th, 1729).
The name of Mordecai Lincoln appears among
the Justices of the Peace under date of March 5,
1732-1733. and Dec. 3, 1733.
In 1735, Mordecai Lincoln's signature appears
* Cf . Record in Lib. 30 or D. 3, 130, Trenton, N. J.

pr—

4fi~ ', "" ¦ „ ; ¦¦<¦':' y ' '
*,..**. „^ „ ^ y^" Vf-A^ *&*///&**¦ &&£*f

Will of Mordecai Lincoln, of Exeter, Pa. (First Page.)
AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 27
on the return of the reviewers of the road from
Schuylkill to Oley, as may be seen in the papers of
the Quarter Sessions of Philadelphia, 1735 and 1736.
It is clear from these documents that Mordecai
Lincoln migrated to Pennsylvania in or about the
year 1720, that he was an ironmonger and bought
land in that part of Pennsylvania where the iron
industry was developing and where it has continued
to flourish until the present day. He was thus fol
lowing the tradition of his father who began the
iron industry in Massachusetts a generation before.
Mordecai Lincoln made his last will and testa
ment February 22d, 1735. His signature was
affirmed and sworn to by two of the witnesses, Sol
omon Coles and John Bell, June 7th, 1736, at which
time the testator was evidently deceased. It is likely
that he died late in May, 1736, as the will naturally
would have been proven soon after the death of the
testator. His mortal remains were buried in the
Quaker burying ground, near Oley.* The text of
the Will runs thus:
Jn the Name of God Amen J Mordecai Lincon
of Amity in the County of philada in the province
of pennsylva being sick and weak in body but of
sound mind and Memory Do make this my last
will and Testament in manner and form following
revoking and hereby disanulling and making void
all other and former Wills and Testaments by
me made whether in word or Writing allowing
this to be my last will and Testament and no other.

* The Exeter Meeting is evidently meant.

28 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Jmprimis it is my mind that in ye first place my
Just debts be honiestly paid.
Jtem J give and bequeath unto My son Mor
decai Linkon the half of my land scituate in amity
and to his heirs and assigns forever
Jtem J give and bequeath unto my son Thomas
Linkon his heirs and assigns forever the one half
of my Land in amity aforesaid.
With this proviso that if my present wife Mary
should prove with Child at my Decease and bring
forth a son, then J order that ye said Land be Di
vided into three equall parts, And that Mordecai
shall have ye Lower most or South East part, and
Thomas the Middle most and the posthumus ye
uper part :
Jtem J give and bequeath unto my Daughters
Hannah and Mary a Certain piece of Land at Mat-
japonix allread settled on them by a deed of gift.
Jtem J give unto my son John Lincon a Certain
piece of Land Lying in the Jerseys Containing
three hundred acres, and to his heirs and assigns
forever. Jtem J give and bequeath unto my Two daugh
ters Anne & Sarah and to their heirs and assigns
forever one hundred acres of Land lying at Mat-
japonix in the Jersey, which Land J do order my
Executrix herein after Named to sell and divide ye
money equally between them.
And J do hereby further order and appoint
that if any one or more of my Children above
named should happen to dye before they arrive
to their full age then such share or shares of ye

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Will of Mordecai Lincoln, of Exetek, Pa. (Second Page.)
(Original in the City Hall, Philadelphia.)

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Inventory of the Estate of Mondecai Lincoln, the Elder, of
Exeter, Berks County, Pa.

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 29
deceased shall be Equally Divided amongst yH
surviving Children.
Jtem J give and bequeath unto my beloved
Wife Mary all yB residue or remainder of My
Estate goods Chatties Quick & dead To be at her
disposall, and Liberty to remain on My planta
tion] at Melar [ ?] Amity untill those my Chil
dren are at their severall ages, the better to enable
my Wife to bring up all my Children without
wasting or embezeling what I have left them.
And J do hereby nominate and appoint my Wife
Mary Lincon my whole and sole Executrix of
this my last Will and testamfent]
And my loving friends and Neighbours Jonathan
Robeson and George Boone Trustees to assist my
Executrix in & seeing this my Will and Testa
ment well and truely perform [ed] according to ye
true Intent and Meaning thereof.
The within named Mordecai Lincon did sign
publish pronounce and declare that this present
writing was his last will and Testament ye 22
day of ffebruary A° Dom1 1735
Jn the presence of us Mordecai Lincon
Jsrael Robeson
Solomon Coles aff 7th June 1736
John Bell Iur eod
Philada June 7th 1736. Then perse nally ap-
peard Solomon Coles and John Bell two of the wit
nesses to the foregoing Will & the sd Solomon
on his solemn affirmation & the sd John Bell
on his Oath did severally declare they saw &
heard Mordecai Lincoln Sign Seal publish and

30 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
declare the same Will to be his Last Will & Testa
ment and that at the doing thereof he was of
sound mind Memory and understanding to the
best of their knowledge. Coram Pet Evans Rec Gen
The widow of Mordecai Lincoln transfered her
power of attorney January 17, 1742, to her son-
in-law, William Tallman, of Amity Township. This
is the instrument :
Know all Men by these presents that Mary
Rodgers of Exeter in the County of Philad* in
the Province of Pensylvania whole and Sole Ex
ecutrix of Mordecai Lincon my deceased Husband
(by Virtue of his last Will and Testament were
Jmpowered to make Sale certain Lands as by the
said Will will at Large Appear) Know ye that I
the said Mary Rodgers for divers Good causes
and considerations me thereunto moving Have
placed made Ordained Constituted & appointed,
and in my stead and place have put and Authorized
my son in Law William Tallman of Amity in the
County aforesaid, yeoman, my True and Layfull
Attorney for me and in my Name and to my use
and Behoof, to Enter into all these Lands Con
taining One hundred Acres lying on Matjaponix
in East Jersey with all their Rights members and
appurtenances thereunto belonging to Enter all
and every part & parcel thereof for me and in my
Name to Survey and for me and in my name to
bargain Sell Lease or grant to such person or per
sons & for such Estate for Life Inheritance or

Friends' Meeting House, Exeter, Berks County.
Erected Perhaps as Early as 1737.

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 3 1
Otherwise & for Such Sum or Sumes of money
as by my said Attourney shall be though [t] meet
and requisite to the utermost & best comodity and
profit of me, and deed and deeds of the same
grants and Estates so to be made for me and in
my Name to Seal and as my deed to deliver unto
the parties to whome the same shall be so made,
And Acquittances & other Discharges for me and
in my Name to seal and deliver Hereby giving
and granted unto my said Attourney my whole &
full power and Authority in touching and concern
ing the premisses to do — Execute proceed and fin
ish in all things in as Large and Ample manner
and form as J myself might or Ought to do if J
were personally present, And Ratifying & allow
ing whatsoever my said Attorney shall Lawfully
Act and do according to the True Jntent & meaning
of these presents, Jn Witness whereof J have here
unto set my hand & Seal the 17th day of January
A0. D°. 1742. Mary Rogers (ss)
Sealed and delivered
in the presence of us
Geo : Boone — Roger Rogers
Be it Remembered that On the 17th day of Jan
uary 1742. before me George Boone Esq1- One of
his Majesties Justices of the peace for the City
& County of Philada came Mary Rodgers and
acknowledged the within power of Attourney to
be her deed — Witness my hand ye day of Year
above written. Geo: Boone (ss)

32 ABRAHAM LINCOLN

CHAPTER III.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN IN PENNSYLVANIA.
Abraham Lincoln, the brother of Mordecai, also
migrated to Pennsylvania and settled in Springfield
Township, Chester County, in or about the year
1729, and died there in 1745. He was a blacksmith
as well as a yeoman. The following records, refer
ring to him, have been found in the documents still
extant. Abraham Lincoln or "Lincon" is mentioned as
one of the 22 Jurors in the General Quarter Sessions
of the Peace, of Monmouth County, New Jersey,
Nov. 22, 1720. With Robert Lawrence and Cor-
neles van Horen he made an inventory of Peter
Gordon's personal estate May 13, 1725.*
The first appearance of Abraham Lincoln's name
in Pennsylvania is found in a deed issued by Thomas
Williams, of Freehold, New Jersey, to "Abraham
Lincon of Springfield, in the County of Chester and
province of Pennsylvania" under date of January
16, 1729. From this document we learn that Abra
ham Lincoln by a "bargain of Sale" for one year
had already occupied the tract in question which
was situated on Crum Creek. It would thus appear
that Abraham Lincoln moved to Pennsylvania in
January or March, 1728, as we may suppose his
occupancy followed quickly upon the "bargain of

* Cf. New Jersey Archives, First Series xxiii, p. 190.

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 33
Sale" which seems to have been dated January 15th,
1728. The deed, recorded in West Chester, Pa.,
runs as follows :
"This Indenture made the Sixteenth day of
Ianuary in the Year of our Lord one Thousand and
Seven hundred and Twenty nine (thirty) Between
Thomas Williams of freehold in the County of
Monmouth and Prov8 of New Jersey Yeoman of
the one part and Abraham Lincon of Springfield
in the County of Chester and province of Pennsyl
vania Yeoman of the other part Witnesseth that
the said Thomas Williams for an in Considera
tion of the sum of Three hundred and Twenty
pounds Lawful money of America to him in hand
paid by the sd Abraham Lincon the receipt where
of is hereby acknowledged and thereof doth
acquit & forever Discharge the said Abra
ham Lincon his heirs and assigns by these pres
ents Have Granted bargained sold aliened enfe
offed released & Confirmed and by these presents
do grant bargain sell alien enfeoffe release and
Confirm unto the said Abraham Lincon his heirs
& assigns all that Tract of Land Situate in Spring
field aforesaid Containing three hundred acres
withe allowances of Ten acres on the hundred
all the Messuage or Tenement & Plantation thereon
Beginning at a White Oak standing bv Crum
Creek thence north fifty five degrees Easterly by
Bartho[l]omew Coppocks land three hundred and
sixty seven perches to a Post thence south Thirty
five degrees Easterly by Thomas Taylors land one
hundred and Twenty eight perches to a Black Oak
thence south fifty-five degrees West by George

34 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Lowns Land four hundred and Twenty Seven
perches to Crum Creek thence along the said Creek
on the Several Courses thereof To the place of Be
ginning Containing three hundred and Thirty acres
Together with all the Houses out Houses Edi
fices Buildings Gardens orchards mines minerals
Wods undwoods Medws [sic] Marshes Swamps
criples ways waters waterCourses fishings fowlings
haukings Huntings Rights Libertys Priviledges Im
provements hereditaments & apurtenances whatso
ever thereunto belonging or in any wise appertain
ing of all which said Land and premises hereby
Granted with their appurtenances the said Abra
ham Lincon is now in actual Possession by force
and Virtue of a bargain and Sale to him thereof
made by the said Thomas Williams for the Term
of one Year as by an Indenture in that behalf
made bearing Date the day next before the day
of the date hereof may apear and the Reversions
and remainders rents Issues and profits thereof
and all Deeds Writings and Evidences whatsoever
Concerning the same To Have & to Hold the said
Messuage or Tenement Plantation and three hun
dred and Thirty acres of land and premises hereby
Granted or mentioned so to be with their Appur
tenances unto the said Abraham Lincon and his
heirs to the only proper use and behoof of the
said Abraham Lincon his heirs and assigns for
ever under the Yearly Quitrent hereafter accru
ing to the Lord of the fee thereof and the said
Thomas Williams & his heirs the sd Messuage or
Tenement three hundred and Thirty acres of Land

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 35
Hereditaments and premises hereby Granted with
their Appurtenances unto the said Abraham Lin
con his heirs and Assigns against him the said
Thomas Williams, and his heirs & against him the
said Thomas Williams [any] persons whomsoever
Lawfully Claiming or to Claime by from or under
him or his heirs shall and will Warant and Defend
forever by these presents and the said Thomas
Williams for himself and his heirs doth Covenant
Promise and Grant to and with the said Abraham
Lincon his heirs & assigns by these presents
Thatt he hath in himself Good rightfull Lawful
and Absolute Power and Authority to Grant bar
gain sell & Convey all the said Messuage or Tene
ment Plantation land & premises hereby Granted
with their Appurtenances unto the said Abraham
Lincon his heirs and assigns in manner aforesaid
and thatt the said Abraham Lincon his heirs and
assigns shall or Lawfully may from time to time
and at all times hereafter forever freely quietly &
peaceably have hold Occupy Possess and Enjoy
the sd Mesuage Plantation Land and premises and
every part thereof with the Appurtenances & re
ceive and Take all the rents Issues and profits
thereof without any manner of Lett Suit Trouble
or Molestation whatsoever by any person or per
sons whomsoever and also that the said Mesuage
land and premises with their appurtenances now
are and from time to time forever hereafter shall
remain Continue and be unto the said Abraham
Lincon [and] his heirs free and Clear and freely
and clearly aquited and discharged of & from all

36 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
and all manner of former & other bargains Sales
Gifts Grants Jointures Devises Mortgages Intails
Rents Arrearages of Rents [ ?] little charges or In
cumbrances whatsoever the proprietors Quitrents
hereafter acrueing for the same only Excepted and
lastly that he the said Thomas and his heirs and
assigns and all and every other person & persons
Whomsoever Lawfully Claiming or to Claim the
said Messuage Land and premises hereby Granted
shall and will from time to time and at all times
hereafter upon the request Cost and Charge in the
Law of the said Abraham Lincon his heirs or as
signs make do Execute and Acknowledge or Cause
so to be all & every such further and other reason
able act & acts Deed or Deeds Device or Devices
in the Law for the further and better assuring and
Confirmation of the said Messuage Land & Plan
tation hereby Granted with their appurtenances
unto the said Abraham Lincon his heirs and as
signs as by him or them or by his or their Counsel
Learned in the Law shall be reasonably Devised
advised or Requred [sic]
In Witness whereof the said Thomas Williams
hath hereunto set his hand and affixed his Seal the
day & Year first abov Written.
Thomas Williams (Seal)
Sealed and Delivered
by the said Thomas
Williams in the pres
ence of
Robert Lawrence
John Coward —

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 37
Be it Remembered the fourteenth day of Sep
tember 1747 Before me Benjamin Shoemaker Esqr
one of the justices &c personally Came and ap
peared William Lawrence of the City of Philadel
phia Merchant and the within Written Indenture
his
subscribed Thomas (X) Williams to Seal &
mark
with the names Rob* Lawrence & John Coward
&c."
[W. Lawrence attested the signature of his father
Robert and the deed was recorded Aug. 22, 1785.]
This same year, 1729, and later, we find the name
of Abraham Lincoln among the taxables of Chester
County, as the following excerpts from the originals
show: 1729 Springfield
Abraham Lincon  14 s. d.
1730 Springfield
Abraham Lincon  12 s. d.
The name Abraham Lincoln continues to be
written this way until 1739, when we have the fol
lowing entry :
1739 Springfield
Abraham Linghorn 
1740 Springfield
Abram Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln, of Springfield, before migrat
ing from New Jersey, owned two considerable tracts
of land in Monmouth County, New Jersey, as may
be seen from the land records. One of these tracts,

38 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
containing 240 acres, was granted to him by Safety
Borden, February nth, 1722, and the other tract,
containing 200 acres, was granted him by Abraham
Vanhorn, March 25th, 1725. After purchasing the
tract in Springfield Township, on Crum Creek, from
Thomas Williams, Lincoln sold both of the above
tracts in East Jersey to Thomas Williams, April 29,
1730, for the sum of 590 pounds. The following
deed relates the brief title and sets forth the condi
tions of sale :
This Indenture, Made the Twenty ninth day
of April in the third Year of the Reign of Our
Sovereign Lord George the Second by the Grace
of God of Great Britain France & Ireland King,
Defender of the Faith &c. Anno Domini One
Thousand Seven hundred & thirty Between Abra
ham Lincon of the County of Monmouth in the
Eastern Division of the Province of New Jersey
Blacksmith of the one part And Thomas Wil
liams of the Same County Yeoman of the other
part Witnesseth that the said Abraham Lincon
for & in Consideration of the Sum of Five Hun
dred & Ninety Pounds Current Money of the Said
Province to him in hand Paid before the Enseal
ing & Delivery of these Presents by him the said
Thomas Williams the Receit whereof he the Said
Abraham Lincon doth hereby acknowledge & him
self to be therewith fully & Entirely Satisfied
Contented & Paid & thereof & of & from every
Part & parcel thereof Doth fully clearly & abso
lutely Acquit Exonerate & Discharge him the
Said Thomas Williams his Heirs Executors Ad-

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 39
ministrators & Every of them forEver by these
presents Hath granted bargained & Sold Aliened
enfeoffed & Confirmed And by these Presents
Doth fully clearly & absolutely Grant Bargain
& Sell Alien en feoff e Release Convey & Con
firm unto him the Said Thomas Williams his
Heirs & Assigns forEver All those two Tracts
of Land Scituate Lying & Being near Cross-
weeks in the County aforesaid herein after Abut
ted Bounded & Described Viz: All that Tract of
Land which was Granted & Confirmed unto him
the Said Abraham Lincon by deed from Safety
Borden bearing date the Eleventh day of Febru
ary Anno Domini 1722 Containing Two Hundred
& forty Acres be the Same more or less Begin
ning at a Stake Standing in the Clear Land, which
is a corner of Benjamin Bordens Land Twenty
five Chains from Burlington Path & Ten Chains
Eastward of the Land in possession of Richard
Borden & Running North North West Twenty
three Chains Sixty five Links to the South East
Corner of Abraham Vanhorns Land And from
said Beginning Stake Running North Seventy
Seven Degrees Easterly Forty & two Chains, Then
South East to Burlington Path & North Easterly
along the Path to the Pines & following the Pines
to the corner of John Limings Land Then South
Seventy Seven Degrees West along said Limmings
line to the above named Vanhornes land and
following said Vanhornes lines to the South
East Corner of his Land as above mentioned
Bounded North Westwardly by Vanhorns &
Limmings Land South Westwardly by Benja-

40 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
min Bordens Land South Eastwardly partly by
Benjamin Borden & partly by Burlington Path
North Eastwardly by the Pines And also All that
tract of Land which was granted & Confirmed
to him the Said Abraham Lincon by Deed from
Abraham Vanhorn bearing Date the Twenty fifth
day of March Anno Domini 1725 Containing Two
Hundred Acres — Beginning at a stake Standing
in the rere of the Lott of Land formerly Job
Throckmortons of which Lott this Two Hundred
Acres is part, which Stake Stands Ten Chains
from the South Westernmost Corner of the Said
Lott & from thence running South South East
Fifty One Chains & thirty five Links Thence North
Seventy Seven Degrees Easterly Thirty One
Chains & twenty Links to the Line of Land lately
Sold to James Borden, Thence North North West
Eleven Chains & an half to a Maple Tree
by a Brook marked on four sides Thence up the
said Brook Ten Chains & forty Links to where the
Line of the said Land sold to James Borden cross
es said Brook Thence North North West Thirty
seven Chains & one Rodd Thence South seventy
seven Degrees Westwardly Forty two Chains to
the Place where it Began Bounded Southerly Ten
Chain short of the Land on which Richard Bor
den formerly lived, Easterly by the first above-
mentioned Tract of Land Northerly by the Land
Sold to James Borden Westerly by the Rere Line
of said Lott Together with all & all manner of
Housings Buildings Edifices Structures Barns
Stables Orchards Fencings Feedings Improve
ments Pastures Meadows Woods Trees Waters

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 41
Brooks Springs Ponds Pools Pits Easements Pro
fits Commodities Royalties Liberties Advantages
Emoluments Hereditaments & Appurtenances
whatsoever To the said Two Tracts of Land Be
longing or in any manner of Ways thereunto Ap
pertaining And also all the Estate Right Title
Interest Possession Property Claims & Demand
whatsoever of him the said Abraham Lincon &
his Heirs as well in Law as in Equity of in or unto
the said Two Tracts & Granted & Bargained Prem
ises with the Appurtenancies with the Reversion &
Reversions Remainder & Remainders thereof &
of every part & parcel thereof as fully & amply to
all Intents Constructions & Purposes whatsoever
as the same was Granted & Confirmed unto him
the said Abraham Lincon in & by the two Deeds
before mentioned Relation to the Same being had
more fully & at large may Appear To Have and
to Hold the said Two Tracts of Land & Granted
& Bargained Premises with all & singular the
Rights Members & Appurtenances to the same be
longing unto him the said Thomas Williams his
Heirs & Assigns for Ever To the only proper
Use Benefit & behoof of him the said Thomas
Williams his Heirs & Assigns for Ever Yeild-
ing & Paying therefore Yearly and Every Year
hereafter unto the said Abraham Lincon his
Heirs & Assigns for Ever as an Acknowledg
ment for the first mentioned Tract of Land upon
the Feast of St. Michael the Arch-Angel the
Sum of One Penny good & Lawful Money,
when the same shall be legally Demanded upon
the Premises And he the said Abraham Lin-

42 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
con for himself his Heirs Executors & Admin
istrators Doth Covenant Promise Grant & Agree
to and with him the said Thomas Williams
his Heirs & Assigns by these presents in man
ner & form following Viz*: That at the time
of the Sealing & Delivery hereof he the said Abra
ham Lincon is Lawfully Seized of the Said Two
Tracts of Land as above bounded & all & singular
& every the Premises & Appurtenances thereof of
a good, sure, pure, perfect & absolute Lawful
Indefeazable Estate of Inheritance in the Law,
in his proper Demesne as of Fee without any Con
dition or Limitation of any Use or Uses Estate or
Estates in or to any person or persons whatsoever
so as to Alter Change Charge Defeat Determine
or make Void the Same, or any part thereof And
that he the Said Abraham Lincon hath in himself
good Rightfull Power and absolute Lawful Au
thority to Grant Bargain & Sell the same &
Every part thereof unto him the Said Thomas Wil
liams his Heirs & Assigns for ever in manner
aforesaid And that the same now is free & from
time to time & at all times hereafter Shall remain
& be free & clear to him the Said Thomas Wil
liams, his Heirs & Assigns for Ever from all &
all manner of former & other Gifts Grants Bar
gains Sales Leases Mortgages & of & from all-
other Titles Troubles Charges Demands & Incum
brances whatsoever had made Committed done or
suffered to bedone by him the Said Abraham Lin
con or any other Person or Persons whatsoever by
from or under him so as to Alter Change Charge
Defecit or make Void this Same.

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 43
His Rents or Services that for the last men
tioned Tract Shall become due to the Lords Pro
prietors only Excepted And Further he the Said
Abraham Lincon for him-self his Heirs Executors
& Administrators Doth hereby Covenant Promise
Grant & Agree the Said Two Tracts of Land &
Granted & Bargained Premises with the Appur
tenances unto him the Said Thomas Williams &
his Heirs & Assigns, against him the Said Abra
ham Lincon & his Heirs & all & Every other
Person or Persons whatsoever lawfully laying
claim to the same or to any part or parcel thereof
shall & will Warrant & for Ever by these Pres
ents Defend In Witness whereof he the Said
Abraham Lincon hath hereunto Set his hand &
Seal the day and year first above written
Abraham (L. S.) Lincon
The written within Instrument
Sealed & Delivered in the presence of
Benj. Price Lawr Smyth
An old document, the petition of Mordecai Tay
lor of the township of Springfield for a tavern
license, contains the signature of Abraham Lincoln.
This petition sets forth so vividly the primitive con
ditions of the Great Road leading from Darby to
Springfield in 1743, that it is printed here:
Chester Co. To his Majesties Justices of the
peace at the Court of General Quarter Sessions
held at Chester the 31st day of August Annoq
Domini 1743 —
The Petition of Mordecai Taylor of the Town
ship of Springfield —
Humbly Sheweth

44 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
That whereas your Petitioner living on the Great
Road leading from Darby to Springfield & so
into Conostogoe Road being a Commodious place
for a House of Entertainment and no Tavern
being within four Miles of him, And Travellers
daily travelling that Road And People going back
and forward sometimes Twenty or Thirty Wag
gons of a Day And Calling at your Petitioners
House, which is a great Trouble & Expense to Yor
Petit1" Therefore he prays that your Honours
would be pleased to grant him a Recommendation
to the Governor for a Lycence Accordingly And
your Petif as in duty bound shall ever pray
Mordecai Taylor.
We whose names are hereunto subscribed being
well Acquainted with the above Petitioner believe
him to be a suitable person to keep a Public house
of Entertainment And prays that You would be
pleased to grant him a Recommendation to the
Governor for a Lycence Accordingly
B Davis Joseph Powell Jos : Levis
Thomas Taylor Bartholomew Coppock
John Owen Mordecai Massey
Jn° Levis James Rhoades
Abrm Lincon John Rhoads
M Maddock Thomas Fall
James Crozer Joseph Maris
Jno Gibbons Bernhard Van Leer
Jos. Harvey Jsaac Collier *

?From the collection of Mr. Gilbert Cope, who kindly
furnished the writer with a photograph of the Petition.

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Petition for Tavern License, Showing Signature of Abraham
Lincoln, of Springfield.
(Original in the Possession of Mr. Gilbert Cope.)

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 45
In the year 1744 Abraham Lincoln, of Spring
field, bought property in Elbow lane in the city of
Philadelphia, from William Clare and from John
Clare and John Clare's sister, Esther. In his will
Lincoln mentions a property bought of Humphrey
Clase (Classe) in the same city. In the deeds to the
Clare properties, Lincoln is spoken of as "Yeoman
of Springfield, Chester County." The relation of
Humphrey Clase in the transaction appears in the
deeds which follow. The deed of William Clare
conveying this portion of the tract in question and
received from the estate of his father (William
Clare, deceased), here follows in its essential parts:
This Indenture Made the Twenty Ninth day
of March in the year of our Lord one thousand
seven hundred and forty four Between William
Clare of the City of Philadelphia in the Province
of Pennsylvania Cordwainer of the one part and
Abraham Lincon of Springfield in the County of
Chester Yeoman of the other part Whereas in and
by certain Indentures of lease and release bearing
date respectively the twenty third and twenty
fourth days of June 1720 made between Joshua
Carpenter of the said City Gentleman and Eliza
beth his wife of the one part and John Rakestraw
of the same City Carter and Ruth his wife of the
other part he the said Joshua Carpenter and Eliz
abeth his wife did for the considerations therein
mentioned grant release and confirm unto the said
Iohn Rakestraw and Ruth his wife A Certain
piece or parcel of ground situate lying and being

46 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
in Philadelphia aforesaid Containing in front or
breadth on Elbow Lane thirty seven feet and in
length forty four feet Bounded northward with
Elbow Lane aforesaid Eastward with George Em-
len's lot Southward by the back of Chesnut Street
lots and westward with other ground of the said
Joshua Carpenter with its appurtenances to hold
to them the said Iohn Rakestraw and Ruth his
wife their heirs and assigns forever Yielding and
Paying yearly and every year unto the said Ioshua
Carpenter his heirs and assigns the rent or sum of
two pounds nine shillings and four pence lawful
money of America at the rates appointed by the
late Act of Parliament for ascertaining the rates
of foreign coin in the Plantations of America * *
[recital of earlier title] ********
Now this indenture witnesseth that for and
in consideration of the sum of fifty pounds law
ful money of the Province aforesaid unto the said
William Clare party thereto well and truly paid
by the said Abraham Lincon at or before the seal
ing and delivery of these presents the receipt
whereof is hereby acknowledged and thereof doth
acquit and forever discharge the said Abraham
Lincon his heirs executors and administrators for
ever he the said William Clare party hereto Hath
granted bargained sold released and confirmed
and by these presents Doth grant bargain sell re
lease and confirm unto the said Abraham Lincon
in his actual possession now being, and unto his
heirs and assigns All that the said westernmost
tenement new erected on the said piece of ground
before described on the south side of Elbow Lane

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 47
Containing thirty seven feet by forty four with a
proportionate part of the said piece of ground
thereunto belonging *********
In Witness whereof the said parties to these
presents have hereunto interchangeably set their
hands and seals the day and year first above
written William Clare ( Seal)
Sealed and Delivered
in the Presence of us
Harry Travers Ioseph Breintnall
[Signature of Grantor acknowledged March 30
1744. Recorded April 29 1835]
The deed* of John Clare and Humphrey Clase (the
husband of John Clare's sister Esther) conveying the
shares of John and Esther to Abraham Lincoln ex
plains the appearance of Humphrey Clase in the
transaction, and shows that Abraham Lincoln, of
Springfield, bought at least three of the four shares
of the tract of ground left by William Clare, Sr., to
his four children, George, William, Jr., John and Es
ther (who married Humphrey Clase) :
This Indenture Made the nineteenth day of
November in the year of our Lord one thousand
seven hundred and forty four Between John Clare
of the City of Philadelphia Cordwainer and Abigal
his wife and Humphrey Classe of the said City

* Deed Book 60, p. 601 ff, City Hall, Philadelphia.

48 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Mariner and Esther his wife (sister of the said
Iohn Clare) of the one part and Abraham Lincon
of Springfield in the County of Chester Yeoman
of the other part Whereas in and by a certain
Indenture of lease and release bearing date the
twenty third and twenty fourth days of lune one
thousand seven hundred and twenty made between
Ioshua Carpenter of the said City Gentleman and
Elizabeth his wife of the one part and Iohn Rake
straw of the said City Carter and Ruth his wife
of the other part he the said Ioshua Carpenter and
Elizabeth his wife for and in the Consideration
therein mentioned did grant release and Confirm
unto the said Iohn Rakestraw and Ruth his
wife A Certain piece or parcel of land situate
lying and being in Philadelphia aforesaid Con
taining in breadth upon Elbow Lane thirty
seven feet and in length forty four feet Bounded
northward with Elbow Lane aforesaid east
ward with George Emlen's lot southward with
the back of Chestnut Street lots and west
ward with the other ground of the said Ioshua
Carpenter with the appurtenances to hold to them
the said Ioshua Rakestraw and Ruth his wife their
heirs and assigns forever Yielding and paying
yearly and every year unto the said Ioshua Carpen
ter his heirs and assigns the rent or sum of two
pounds nine shillings anrflour pence lawful money
of America at the rate appointed by the late act of
Parliament for ascertaining the rates of foreign
coins in the Plantations in America on the twenty

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 49
fourth day of lune yearly forever with clauses of
reentry and distress for non payment And Where
as in and by a certain Indenture bearing date the
first day of July 1721 (And Recorded at Phila
delphia in Deed Book vol 2 page 204 &c) made
between the said Iohn Rakestraw and Ruth his
wife of one part and William Clare of the said
City Cordwainer father of the said Iohn Clare of
the other part they the said Iohn Rakestraw and
Ruth his wife for the consideration therein men
tioned did grant release and confirm unto the said
William Clare his heirs and assigns all that the
above mentioned and described piece or parcel of
land with a certain messuage or tenement there on
built and erected by the said Iohn Rakestraw To
gether also with all and singular other the build
ings improvements ways alleys passages waters
water courses rights easements rights liberties
privileges hereditaments and appurtenances what
soever thereunto belonging and the reversions and
remainders rents issues and profits thereof and
all the estate right title interest use possession
property claim and demand of them the said Iohn
Rakestraw and Ruth his wife of in and to the
hereby granted premises and true copies of all
deeds evidences and writings concerning the prem
ises to be had and taken at the proper costs and
charges of the said William Clare his heirs or
assigns which last recited Indenture contains a
covenant on the part of the said William Clare his
heirs and assigns well and truly to pay and dis
charge yearly forever the said rent of two pounds

50 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
nine shillings and four pence And Whereas the
said William Clare after having built and erected
another messuage or tenement on the said de
scribed lot of ground made his last will and testa
ment bearing date the seventeenth day of the
fourth month one thousand seven hundred and
thirty two wherein he disposed of his estate in the
world viz. I give and bequeath unto my beloved
wife Esther Clare all my real and personal estate
goods and chattels whatsoever to have the full
and free use of them during her life and after her
decease to be divided equally amongst all my chil
dren Item I make my aforesaid wife full and
sole executrix of this my last will and testament
And Whereas the said Executrix survived the said
testator some time and is since deceased and there
upon the children namely George Clare William
Clare Iohn Clare and Esther Clare by Indenture
bearing date the Sixteenth day of October 1742
and then intended to be recorded [Recorded in
Book 9 Vol. 5 page 101 &c] and an amicable par
tition and division of the said Estate whereby it
was agreed among other things that the said Iohn
Clare and his said sister Esther shall hold enjoy
and have the Easternmost which is the largest of
the two tenements erected on the said piece of
ground of thirty seven feet in breadth by forty
four feet in length with a proportionable part of
the same piece of ground Together with the ap
purtenances which Easternmost Tenement and the
ground thereto belonging are bargained and sold
and intended to be hereby conveyed unto the said

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 5 1
Abraham Lincon his heirs and assigns. Now this
indenture witnesseth that the said Iohn Clare and
Abigail his wife and Humphrey Clase and
Esther his wife for and in consideration of the
sum of one hundred and twenty pounds lawful
money of Pennsylvania to them in hand paid and
secured to be paid the receipt whereof is hereby
acknowledged Have and each of them hath
granted bargained sold released and confirmed and
by these presents Do and each of them Doth
grant bargain sell release and confirm unto the
said Abraham Lincon and to his heirs and assigns
All that the said Easternmost tenement and the
ground thereunto belonging situate on the South
side of Elbow Lane as aforesaid Together with all
the ways alleys waters water courses rights [ ?]
easements rights liberties privileges hereditaments
and appurtenances thereunto belonging or in any
wise appurtaining and all the estate right title in
terest use possession property claim and demands
of them the said grantors or either or any of them
of in or to the hereby granted premises and true
copies of all deeds evidences and writings concern
ing the same to have and to hold the said Eastern
most tenement situate on the south side of Elbow
Lane and a proportionable part thereto belonging
of the said lot of ground of thirty seven foot by
forty four foot hereditaments and premises hereby
granted or mentioned or inteded to be granted
with the appurtenances unto the said Abraham
Lincon and his heirs to the use and behoof of the
said Abraham Lincon his heirs and assigns forever

52 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Subject to a proportionable part of the said recited
rent of two pounds nine shillings and four pence
And the said Iohn Clare and Abigail his wife and
Humphey Clase and Esther his wife the hereby
granted premises against them and each of them
and all persons lawfully claiming under them unto
the said Abraham Lincon his heirs and assigns
shall and will warrant and forever defend by these
presents And the said Iohn Clare for himself his
heirs executors and administrators and for the
said Abigail his wife and the said Humphey Clase
for himself his heirs executors and administra
tors for the said Esther his wife do respectively
covenant promise and grant that they the said Iohn
Clare and Abigail his wife and Humphey Clase and
Esther his wife shall and will at any time or
times hereafter at the reasonable request cost and
charges in the law of the said Abraham Lincon his
heirs or assigns make execute and acknowledge
or cause so to be all and every such further and
other reasonable act and acts deed or deeds device
or devices in law for the further and better assur
ance and confirmation of the said tenement and
proportionable piece of ground hereditaments and
premises hereby granted as mentioned to be grant
ed with the appurtenances unto the said Abraham
Lincon his heirs and assigns (under the propor
tionable part of rent aforesaid) as by him or them
or his or their counsel learned in the law shall be
reasonably devised advised or required In Wit
ness whereof the said parties to these presents have

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 53
hereunto interchangeably set their hands and seals
the day and year first above written
Esther Classe (Seal)
Humphrey Classe (Seal)
Iohn Clare (Seal)
Abigail Clare (Seal)
Sealed and Delivered in
the Presence of us
Jos Howell Joseph Brentnall
The Twentieth day of November 1744
Before me Joshua Maddox Esquire one of the
Iustices &c came the within named Iohn Clare and
Abigail his wife and Humphey Classe and Esther
his wife and acknowledged the with in written
Indenture to be their and each of their act and
deed and desired the same may be recorded And
the said Abigail and Esther being of full age and
apart examined willingly consented.
Witness my Hand and seal the day and year
aforesaid Recorded April 29th 1835 Josh. Maddox (Seal)
Abraham Lincoln made his will April 15, 1745.
He died a very few days later, for the inventory is
dated April 30, 1745. Both the will and the inven
tory are interesting documents and shed much light
upon the history of this branch of the family. Abra
ham bequeathed his estate as follows :

54 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
J Abraham Lincon of Springfield in the County
of Chester in the Province of Pensilvania Black
smith being sick and weak in body but of well dis
posing mind and Memory Praise be given to Al
mighty God therefore but in Consideration of the
Uncertainty of this Mortal state and not knowing
how it may please the Lord to deal with me at
this time do make and Ordain this my last Will
and Testament in Manner and form following
First and Principally I recommend my Soul into
the hands of God that gave it and my body I com
mit to the Earth to be buried in a Christian like
and decent manner at the discretion of my Execu
tors and as Touching such worldly Estate as it
hath pleased the Lord to bestow upon me I give
and dispose thereof as followeth Imprimis my
will is that in the first place all my Just debts and
funeral Expenses be duly paid and discharged
Item I give to my son Iohn all and singular the
Land and Premises with the Appurtenances / it
being part and parcel of the Plantation whereon
I now dwell / Lying on the North East side of the
Road leading to Chester to hold to him my said
son Iohn his Heirs and Assigns for ever but if my
son Iohn should happen to dye before he Attains
to the age of Twenty one Years then my will is
and I give all the said Land unto my son Abraham
his Heirs and Assigns forever Item I give and de
vise unto my son Iacob all the Residue of this my
Plantation Situate on the South West side the
Road aforsaid with all and Singular the Ap
purtenances to Hold to him my said son Iacob his
Heirs and Assigns for ever Provided also and
Upon Condition Nevertheless that my son Iacob

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The Will of Abraham Lincoln, of Springfield.
(Original in City Hall, Philadelphia.)
AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 55
Builds a Brick dwelling House for the Use of my
son Iohn at some Convenient place on the
land devised to my son Iohn as aforsaid at
some time within the Term of Ten Years after the
date of this my Will which House shall be Seven
teen foot Square from out to out Cellar'd Under
and Carried Up two story high with a Cedar
Roof and Windows Suitable to the Building Item
I give and devise Unto my son Mordecai if he
Returns into this Province within the Term of
Seven Years Next after my decease all that Mes
suage or Tenement which I purchased of William
Clayer Situate in the City of Philadelphia to hold
to him my said son Mordecai his Heirs and As
signs forever but if it should so happen that my
son Mordecai shall not Return before the expira
tion of the Term aforsaid then my will is and I
do give the said Messuage or Tenement Unto my
son Isaac his Heirs and Assigns forever Provided
Nevertheless that my son Isaac pay or cause to
be paid Unto my son Mordecai if in Case he Re-
turnes at any time after the Seven Years aforsaid
the sum of ffive Pounds of Lawfull money of
Pensilvania Item I give devise and bequeath Unto
my daughter Rebecca my other Messuage or Tene
ment in the City of Philadelphia / loyning to the
other before mentioned / which I Purchased of
Humphry Clase and Iohn Clayor to hold to her
my said daughter Rebecca and to the Lawfull heirs
of her body for ever but if she should happen to
dye before the Age of Twenty one Years or with
out Issue then my will is and I give the said Mes
suage or Tenement Unto my son Isaac his Heirs

56 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
and Assigns for ever Item I give Unto my daugh
ter Sara my best feather bed with furniture as also
the one half part of the Linnen Usually kept in
my large chest Item I give Unto my son Abraham
the sum of Thirty Six Pounds which I lent him
some time since and further my will is that all
the Residue of my Estate after debts and Funeral
Expenses paid as aforsaid and Sufficient for the
Maintenance of my son John Untill he Arrives to
the Age of Fourteen Years / as well Real as Per
sonal whatsoever and wheresoever I give Unto my
two sons / to witt / Abraham and Isaac to be di
vided in two Equal parts or portions share and
share alike and I Nominate Constitute and Ap
point my two friends / to witt / Robert Taylor of
Marple in the County of Chester aforsaid and
Ioshua Thompson of Ridley in the County afor
said Executors of this my last will and Testament
and I Revoke disanul and make void all and
every other will and wills by me at any time here
tofore made and do Ratifie & Confirm this and no
other to be my Last Will and Testament In Wit
ness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and
seal this ffifteenth day of April in the Year of our
Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and fforty
ffive. — Abraham Lincon
Signed Sealed Published and delivered by Abra
ham Lincon the Testator to be his last will and
Testament in the Presence of Us.
Emanuel Lownes aff
John morton Jur 24 April 1745
Jsa. Pearson affirm

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Inventory of the Estate of Abraham Lincoln, of Springfield.
AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 57

CHAPTER IV.
CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN, OF SPRINGFIELD
TOWNSHIP, CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
The records contain important traces also of the
children of Abraham Lincoln, of Springfield, Ches
ter County, Pennsylvania. As we have seen from
the will of Abraham, he left the following children :
Mordecai, Abraham, Isaac, John and Sarah. Mor
decai is mentioned in the will as absent from home,
John and Sarah as minors. The testator seems par
ticularly solicitous about his young son, John, as
may be seen in the wording of the special provisions
of the will in his case. One can read between the
lines the father's anxiety as to the boy's reaching
his maturity. In case he grows to manhood, the
testator directs that a proper house be constructed
for his son John. The specifications as to the size
and quality of this house are very precise. It must
be seventeen feet square, two stories high, and have
a cedar roof.
The first document so far found referring to
Abraham Lincoln, the son of Abraham of Spring
field, is a deed dated May i, 1744, in which John
Fordham and his wife Hannah, of the city of Phila
delphia, convey a piece of ground on the north side
of Jones' alley, in the city of Philadelphia, to "Abra
ham Lincon of the same city cordwainer." That this
Abraham was not the Abraham of Springfield, but

58 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
the son of the latter, is clear from the fact that he
is called "cordwainer" and mentioned as living in
Philadelphia. This is further corroborated by a
deed of "Abraham Lincon cordwainer" to "Isaac
Lincon Carpenter" dated May i, 1745, after the
death of Abraham of Springfield. The deed of 1 744
runs thus :
This Indenture Made the first Day of May
in the' year of our Lord one thousand seven hun-
dren and forty four. Between John Fordham late
of the City of Philadelphia but now of the Island
of Jamaica Upholsterer, and Hannah Fordham of
the City of Philadelphia aforesaid Wife of the
said John Fordham. of the one part and Abraham
Lincoln of the same City Cordwainer of the other
Part. Whereas Abraham Bickley late of Burlington in
the Western Division of the Province of New Jer
sey. Merchant deceased Father of the Said Han
nah Ford — by his Last Will and Testament in
Writing duly executed bearing Date the thirteenth
Day of October in the Year of our Lord one
thousand seven hundred and Twenty five did Give
& Bequeath unto his Daughter Hannah, divers
Lands Tenements & Hereditaments (of which the
Piece of Ground herein after particularly men
tioned & described is Part) To hold to the said
Hannah, her Heirs & Assigns for ever. Under the
yearly Quitrent & Reservations accruing to the
Proprietor for the same as by the said Will since
duly proved Reference being had thereto more
fully may appear. [Here follows Letter of
Attorney]

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 59
And whereas the said Hannah Fordham hath
by Virtue of the said Letter of Attorney from the
said John Fordham her Husband as well as in her
own Right contracted and agreed with the said
Abraham Lincon for the Sale of the Fee Simple
and Inheritance of the said Piece of Ground
herein after particularly described Subject to the
Rent herein after mentioned and to indemnify the
same And the said Abraham Lincon his Heirs Ex
ecutors and Administrators of and from the Pay
ment of the said Mortgage Money and Every
Part thereof.
Now this Indenture Witnesseth that now in Pur
suance of such Agreement as aforesaid And for
and in Consideration of the Payment of the Rent
and Performance of the Covenants hereinafter
reserved and contained on the Part and Behalf of
the said Abraham Lincon his Heirs and Assigns
to be paid done and performed They the said
John Fordham by his said Attorney the said Han
nah his Wife have granted bargained sold released
and confirmed and by these presents do grant bar
gain sell release and confirm unto the said Abra
ham Lincon His Heirs and Assigns all that Piece
of Ground situate on the North side of Jones's
Alley in the City of Philadelphia aforesaid con
taining in Front on the said alley thirty three feet
and Seven Inches and extending back or North
ward Thirty Foot Bounded Eastward with other
Ground of the said John Fordham and Hannah
his Wife now in the Possession of George Hard
ing Southward with the said Alley. Westward with
other Ground of the said John Fordham, and

60 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Hannah his Wife and Northward with the Ground
formerly belonging to James Porbuee * * *
Yielding and Paying heretofore unto the said John
Fordham and Hannah his Wife and to his Heirs
and Assigns of the said Hannah the yearly Rent
or Sum of Seven Pounds Ten shillings and nine
Pence lawful money of the Province of Pennsyl
vania aforesaid on the first day of May in each
And also that the said Abraham Lincon his
Heirs or Assigns shall & will within the space of
Two Years next ensuing the Date, hereof, at
his and their own proper Costs and Charges
cause to be erected built and finished in or upon
the said hereby granted Piece of Ground and
Premises one good Tenantable Dwelling House of
Brick or Stone two Stories High above ground
with a cellar under the same. * * * [Re
corded April 10, 1767.]
Another important document bearing upon the
sons of Abraham Lincoln, of Springfield, is a deed
of mortgage dated September 14, 1747, in which
"Jacob Lincon, of Kingsess [ing], in the County of
Philadelphia Sithemaker and Anne his Wife and
Abraham Lincon of the City of Philadelphia, cord
wainer" mortgage Jacob Lincoln's plantation in
Springfield township to Jacob Duche for the sum of
200 pounds. The text of the document follows :
"Be it Remembered that the fourteenth Day of
September Anno Dom 1747 the Mortgage here
after mentioned was produced Before Thomas

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 6l
Greene Esq1- one of the Provincial Iudges and
thereupon Came Jacob Lincon and Anne his Wife
and Abraham Lincon who acknowledged the sa
Writing to be their Deed and Desired ye same
might be recorded the sd Anne thereunto Volun
tarily Consenting she being of full age Secretly
and apart Examined and the contents of ye sd
Writing read unto her woh said Mortgage is re
corded in ye Office for recording of Deed in ye sd
County the Thirtieth Day of October Anno Dom
1747 in these Words (viz)
This Indenture made the fourteenth Day of
September in the Year of our Lord one thousand
seven hundred and forty seven Between Jacob
Lincon of Kingsess in the County of Philadel
phia Sithemaker and Anne his Wife and Abraham
Lincon of the City of Philadelphia Cordwainer
of the one part and Jacob Duche of the City of
Philadelphia Merch1 of the other part Whereas
the sd Jacob Lincon in and by a Certain Obligation
or Writing Obligatory under his hand and seal
bearing Even Date herewith standeth Bound unto
the sd Jacob Duch'e in the sum of Two hundred
Pounds Lawfull money of Pennsylvania condi
tioned for the Payment of one hundred pounds
Lawful money aforesaid Together with Lawfull
Interest for ye same in manner following, to say
* * *
Ye said Jacob Lincon and Anne his Wife and
Abraham Lincon * * * Have Granted Bar
gained sold released and Confirmed and by these
Psents [sic] do Grant Bargain Sell release and
Confirm unto ye sd Jacob Duch'e and to his heirs

^2 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
and assigns All that his ye sd Jacob Lincon's Mes
suage Plantation and Tract of Land thereunto Be
longing Situate in Springfield Township in ye
County of Chester Lying on the South West side
of ye road Leading from Springfield Meeting
House to the Burrough of Chester & Lying be
tween the sd road & Crum Creek and extending
from the said Creek by Bartholomew Coppocks
Land North fifty five Degrees Easterly to the
aforesd road and from ye said Road to the
sd Creek south fifty five degrees West by George
Lownes Land Containing one hundred and eighty
acres or there about be the same more or less
(which Abraham Lincon ye farther of ye sd
Abraham and Jacob Parties hereto by his Last
Will and Testament of the 15th Day of April
1745 Devised unto this sd son Iacob in ffee * * *"
[Recorded in the Court House, West Chester
Pa.]
An indenture, dated February 14, 1754, informs
us concerning a third son of Abraham Lincoln, of
Springfield, namely, Isaac Lincoln, who with his
wife, Mary, conveyed to George Westcott of the
same city, brazier, a certain piece of ground willed
by Abraham Lincoln of Springfield to his son Isaac,
and situated on the south side of Elbow lane. This
same document gives important information as to
Mordecai Lincoln, the absent son of Abraham of
Springfield. It appears here that Mordecai did not
return within the seven years allowed by the will, nor
at any time afterwards up to the date of this deed,
a period of nearly ten years. Thus the property

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 63
willed to Mordecai was divided between Abraham
and Isaac Lincoln, as directed by their father's will.
The text of the indenture follows below :
This Indenture Made the Fourteenth day of
February in the year of our Lord one thousand
seven Hundred and fifty four Between Isaac Lin
con of the City of Philadelphia Carpenter and
Mary his wife of the one part and George Wescott
of the said City Brazier of the other part Whereas
in and by a certain Indenture bearing date the
twenty ninth day of March in the Year 1744 be
tween William Clare of the said City of Philadel
phia Cordwainer of the one part and Abraham Lin
con of Springfield in the County of Chester Yeo
man who was the father of the said Isaac Lincon
of the other part reciting as therein is recited he /
the said William Clare for the consideration therein
mentioned did grant release and confirm unto
the said Abraham Lincon A Certain messuage or
tenement and lot or piece of ground situate in
the City on the South side of Elbow Lane &c. * *
* * and the said Abraham being so thereof
seized and did make his last will and testament in
writing bearing date the fifteenth day of April 1745
and therein divided All that messuage or tenement
which he purchased of William Clare situate in the
said City unto the said testators son Mordecai if he
returned into the Province of Pennsylvania within
the term of seven years to hold to him the said
Mordecai his heirs and assigns forever But if it
should happen that his son Mordecai shall not re
turn before the expiration of the term of seven

64 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
years aforesaid then the testators will is and he
doth give the said Messuage & testament unto
his said son Isaac his heirs and assigns for
ever Provided nevertheless that his son Isaac
pay or cause to be paid unto the said Mor
decai if in case he returns at any time after
the seven years aforesaid the sum of five pounds
lawful money of Pennsylvania as [at?] in and
by the said last recited Indenture and last will
relation being thereunto had respectively ap
pears and shortly after the making of the tes
tament aforesaid he the said testator died And
the said Mordecai did not return into the said
Province within the term aforesaid limited nor at
any time since So that the estate in the premises
is vested in the said Isaac Lincon as divided by
the Instrument aforesaid Subject nevertheless to
the payment of the said five pounds unto the said
Mordecai if in case he shall hereafter arrive in
the said Province Now this indenture witnes-
seth that the said Isaac Lincon and Mary his wife
for and in consideration of the sum of sixty five
pounds lawful money of Pennsylvania unto them
well and truly paid by the said George Wescott
* * * do bargain sell * * * A certain
piece of ground being the westermost part of the
aforesaid thirty seven foot * * * bounded
northward with Elbow Lane &c * * *
Isaac Lincon
Mary Lincon
[Receipt also signed by same
Acknowledged Feb 14, 1754
Recorded Apr. 29, 1835]

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 65
John Lincoln, the young son of Abraham Lincoln
of Springfield, died without issue and his land passed
to Abraham, his brother, and was divided by him,
Abraham, between his daughters, Rebecca and Hes
ter. Rebecca married James Carter, a merchant of
Philadelphia, and Hester died young.
Isaac Lincoln, the son of Abraham of Springfield,
married Mary Schute December the 30th, 1746.
Jacob Lincoln, son of Abraham of Springfield, mar
ried Ann Rambo, June, 1747. Jacob died June 5,
1769, aged 44 years, and was buried at Kingsessing
Swedes Church.
In Old Swedes Church, Philadelphia (O. S. C.
P.), First Baptist Church, Philadelphia (F. B. C.
P.), St. Michael's and Zion Churches, and in Christ
Church, Philadelphia (C. C. P.), we find the follow
ing records of Lincoln marriages, which we arrange
here in chronological order, with the reference to
the church in parenthesis :
Lincoln, Daniel, and Mary Medley, June 2, 1742
Lincon, Isaac, and Mary Shute, Dec. 31, 1746
(C. C. P.).
Jacob Lincoln and Ann Rambo, June 1747. Jacob
died June 5 1769 aged 44 years, buried
at Old Swedes, Kingsessing. Anne died
Feb. 8, 1819, aged 94 years, buried at
same place.
Children: Moses, Catarina (b. June 16. 1751),
John (b. Feb. 1, 1756, m. Elizabeth Neal
or O'Neal Oct 8, 1781), Rebecca (b.
Dec. 11, 1757), Mary (b. Aug. 17,
1763), Jacob (b. Apr. 1766).

66 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Lincon, Rebecca, and Joseph Rush, Sept. 19, 1750
(C. C. P.).
Lincoln, Rebecca, and James Carter, Mar. 7, 1763
(F. B. C. P.).
Lincoin, Margaret, and James Gregory, July 17,
1769 (C. C. P.).
Lincon, Sarah, and Samuel Pastorius, Nov. 28,
1771
John Linkhorn and Elizabeth O'Neal Oct. 8, 1781
(O. S. C. P.).
Barbara Kinch
Lincorn, Elizabeth, and John Hart, July 7, 1791
(O. S. C. P.).
Lincoln, Jacob, and Mary Taylor, April 11, 1792
(O. S. C. P.).
Lincoin, Moses, and Barbara Kinch, Mar. 19,
1795 (O. S. C. P.).
Lincoln, Benjamin, and Ann Cowan, May 19,
1806 (C. C. P.).
The Parish Register of Christ Church, Philadel
phia, contains the following :
"Christenings 1735 Aug 3. Mordecai Son of Ab
raham and Rebecca Lincoln age 15
years"
"1748 April 13 Lincoln, negro slave of Robert
Grove adult"
"1749 Feb. 11 John son of John & Catharine Lin
coln born Decbr 17. 1749"

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 67

CHAPTER V.
CHILDREN OF MORDECAI LINCOLN OF EXETER.
Having followed the traces of Abraham Lincoln
of Springfield and his children in the counties of
Chester and Philadelphia, we return to Mordecai
Lincoln of Exeter and trace his family in Berks
County, Pennsylvania, and in Virginia and Ken
tucky, down to Abraham Lincoln, the President of
the United States.
It will be remembered that Mordecai Lincoln of
Exeter, Pennsylvania, son of Mordecai of Hull,
Massachusetts, provided in his will for three sons,
Mordecai, John and Thomas, and conditionally
for a posthumous child. This posthumous child, as
the documents will show, was born Oct. 18 (O. S.),
or Oct. 29 (N. S.), 1736, after his father's death,
named Abraham and received his share of his
father's estate in accordance with the provisions of
the will. Mordecai of Exeter made his surviving
wife, Mary, his executrix and appointed his friends,
Jonathan Robeson and George Boone, to assist her
in settling the estate.
MORDECAI LINCOLN, SON OF MORDECAI OF EXETER.
The earliest references to Mordecai Lincoln, son
of Mordecai of Exeter, show him to be unmarried.

68

ABRAHAM LINCOLN

In the tax lists of Berks County his name appears
as follows: I £ s d Township
Single 1754 Mordecai Lincoln 9 Exeter

Married

I7S7

Marthicai Lingcoln

and half tenement
20
Exeter
1758
Mordecai Lincoln
Tent y2
20
Exeter
Special Assessment
for the same year
10
1759
Lincoln, Mordecai
10
15
Exeter
1759
Mordecai Lincoln
(County Tax)
12
1760
Lincoln, Mordecai
IS
Exeter
1761
Lincoln, Mordecai
IS
3 !
) Exeter
1763
Lincoln, Mordecai
22
5
Exeter
1765 Lincoln, Mordecai 21 I 11 6 Exeter
1766 Lincoln, Mordecai 18 46 Exeter
The name of Mordecai Lincoln (or "Lincorn")
appears frequently in the old manuscript account
book kept by Abraham Lincoln, his brother, from
1755 to 1778. On the first page of this book is
written :
Abram Lincoln| Beginning to Doy et at| Mor
decai Lincorns ye 21th of ye third month| In the
year 1757.
The following entries appear at different times
during this year 1757 and later:
£o

5s

6d

0

2

o

o

2

o

o

2
[?]

0

o

I

o

0

I

6

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 69
Mordecai Lincoln Dr| to four Days mak
ing Shingels
Mordecai Lincoln | to two days and a yi
Reaping
Mordecai Licln to one days work
Mordecai Lincoln for one days work
Mordecai Lincoln to one days work
and cash
Mordecai Lincoln to one yz days work
Mordecai Lincoln to 2A of a days work
Mordecai Lin [coin] to work
Mordecai Lincoln to 3 days and a half
work 070
Mordecai Lincoln to One days sawing Jn
exchange of Work
Mordecai Lincoln to Cash 020
1759, May Mordecai Lincoln to a Half a
bushel of flax sade 026
June Mordecai Lincoln to three Bushel
of Buck Wheat 6
1770 April ye 10th Cr
Mordecai Lincoln
Cr by work at the Rase
apil [sic] 10th by 2yz days work
April ye 14th no [=anno] 1770 Cr by work
on the Rods
Mordecai Lincoln 1 hand
Mordecai Lincoln Mikel Syser & Jacob
Battle is to Maintane two Thirds of ye
Rase from ye first of march to the Six
teenth of October yere af ter yer
1778 October Cr by work dune at the Ras
24th Mordecai Lincoln 1 hand

7° ABRAHAM LINCOLN
1779
April 3
Mordeca [sic] two hand one d day & Self prt"
The land records of Berks County contain refer
ence to a number of transactions of Mordecai Lin
coln, as the following list will show :
Grantor Mordecai Lincoln, Oct. 16, 1766, Grantee William
Tallman, Asst, book 6, page 330.
Grantee Mordecai Lincoln, Apr. 11, 1769, Grantors Abra
ham et al., Exeter, book 14, page 543.
Grantor Mordecai Lincoln, Apr. 11, 1769, Grantee Jacob
Bechtel, Exeter, book 14, page 545.
Grantor Mordecai Lincoln, Apr. 11, 1769, Grantee Michael
Seyster (= Zeister), Release, book 15, page 5.
Grantee Mordecai Lincoln, May 9, 1769, Grantors Thomas
and Abraham Lincoln, Exeter, book 11, page 307.
Grantors Mordecai & Abraham Lincoln, May 16, 1770,
Grantee Michael Zeister, Exeter, book 6, page 504.
Grantor Mordecai Lincoln, Mar. 29, 1773, Grantee Mary
Rogers, Sch. River, book iB, page 535.
Grantor Mordecai Lincoln, May 22, 1784, Grantee Jno.
Spohn, Exeter, book 9 ,page 54.
Grantor Mordecai Lincoln, Oct. 30, 1784, Grantee Henry
Huyett, Ex. Com. Bk. P., book 1, page 163.
Grantors Mordecai Lincoln et al., July 4, 1789, Grantee
Rebecca Nagle, Exeter, book 12, page 4.
There is a reference to Mordecai Lincoln in the
deed books of Berks County, Pennsylvania, show
ing that he and his wife, Mary, conveyed to Mary
Rogers, of Reading, a certain property originally
belonging to the estate of his father Mordecai Lin
coln of Exeter. The deed which is dated March
29, 1773, begins and ends as follows:
This Indenture Made the 29th day of March
in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hun
dred and seventy three Between Mordecai Lin-

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 7 1
coin of Exeter Township in Berks County and
Province of Pennsylvania Yeoman and Mary his
Wife of the one part and Mary Rogers of the
Town of Reading in ye County and province
aforesaid Widow of the other part [Here fol
lows the recital of the title, the essential part of
which runs : "And the said Thomas Millard and
Barbara his Wife by Jndentures of Lease & re
lease bearing date the 9th & 10th days of May
Anno domini 1730 did grant and Confirm the
same One Thousand acres of land and premises
unto the said Mordecai Lincoln the Elder in fee
[then follows the recital of the will of Mordecai
Lincoln of Exeter, "the elder" and the conditions
of sale by Mordecai Lincoln (Junior) and his
wife Mary to Mary Rogers]
her
Mary M Lincoln (Seal)
mark
Mordecai Lincoln (Seal)*
In the Account Books of John Harris we find this
interesting entry :
1785 Linkhorn in Town Dr. £ s d
June Ist To Sundries brought from
Folio 169 687
To 27 Bundles Rye Straw Lent
May 21 1790 Reed the opposite acco1 in full £6.8.7.
This was evidently Mordecai Lincoln, son of
Mordecai of Exeter, who appears in a deed dated
July 4, 1789, as a resident of Dauphin County, Pa.
Mordecai settled later in Fayette County, Pa.
* Cf. Deed Book I. B., 535 et seq., Reading, Pa.

72 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
THOMAS LINCOLN, SON OF MORDECAI OF EXETER.
The second son of Mordecai Lincoln, the elder,
of Exeter, was Thomas Lincoln, who took a promi
nent part in the affairs of Berks County, Pennsyl
vania. His name appears in the early tax lists
with the following assessments :
Berks Co. Tax List £
1757 Thomas Lingorn 6
1758 Thomas Lincoln 16
1758 Thomas Lincoln 15
his Tennant 5
20
1759 Lincoln Thomas 7
1759 Lincoln Thomas 15
1760 Tho' Lincoln 9
1760 Lincoln Thomas 6
In 1758 he was made sheriff of Berks County, a
fact which strangely enough escaped the officials of
the same county some years ago, when they had the
calendar of sheriffs printed, but omitted the name
of Thomas Lincoln. The present writer had the
peculiar pleasure of rediscovering Sheriff Thomas
Lincoln and identifying his signature in old lists of
jurors returned by him while sheriff. The original
bond given by Thomas Lincoln, as newly elected
Sheriff to the King, is duly recorded* and may be
reprinted here as a document of interest :
Know all Men by these Presents that We
Thomas Lincoln of Exeter Township in the

s.

d.

Township Amity

4

Exeter

10

Exeter

IO

6

Reading

2

6

Exeter
Reading Reading

* In Commission Book A No. 2, p. 268-9. (Department
of Internal Affairs, Harrisburg, Pa.)

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Bill of Costs of Executing Elisabeth Crowl.
(Original in the Possession of Louis Richards, of Reading, Pa. )

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 73
County of Berks Esq1" Jsaac Levan of Ex
eter aforesaid Gent, and William Boone of the
same place Gent, are held and firmly bound unto
our Sovereign Lord George the second by the
Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ire
land King Defender of the Faith &ca in the Sum
of three hundred Pounds Current Money of Penn
sylvania to be paid to our said Sovereign Lord the
King his Heirs or Successors to which Payment
well and truly to be maide We do find our Selves
each and every or any of Us for and in the Whole
our each and every or any of our Heirs Execu
tors and Administrators respectively Jointly and
Severally firmly by these Presents Sealed with
our Seals Dated the fifth Day of October in the
thirty second year of the Reign of our said Lord
the King & in the Year of our Lord one thousand
and seven hundred and fifty-eight.
The Condition of this obligation is such That
Whereas the above bounden Thomas Lincoln on
the second Day of October Jnstant was Elected
Sheriff for the said County of Berks for the en
suing Year by the Freemen of the said County
according to an Act of Assembly of this Province
passed in the fourth year of the Reign of Queen
Ann entitled an Act for Regulating Elections of
Sheriffs & Coroners As by a certain Jndenture
bearing Date the second Day of October Jnstant
made or mentioned to be made Between Thomas
Lincoln Coroner of the said County of the one
Part & Joseph Boone Sebastian Levan Mounce
Jones Benjamin Talbert Ganis Dickinson &
Henry Snyder Freeholders of the said County

74 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
of the other Part Gentlemen Freeholders of the
Said County of the other Part Relation bearing
thereunto had appears now if the said Thomas
Lincoln by himself or his Lawful Deputy shall
and do well and truly perform his Duty & Trust
in the said office of Sheriff when thereunto law
fully and thoroughly Qualified according to the
Tenor of the Affirmation which he shall make
for the due Execution of his said Office Or else
to be and remain in full Force and Virtue to the
Uses Jntents and Purposes in the said Act — men
tioned and appointed And to no other Use Jntent
or Purpose whatsoever Thomas Lincoln (Seal)
Jsaac Levan (Seal) Willm Boone (Seal) Sealed
and Delivered in the Presence of Us C. Brockden,
Rob* Harper. Acknowledged at Philadelphia the
fifth day of October A0. D1. 1758 Before me W1
Coleman, Recorded 6th Day of October, 1758.
The records of the Prothonotary's office in Read
ing contain many papers executed by Thomas Lin
coln during his term as sheriff. The accompanying
list of jurors* and the very interesting case of the
hanging of a woman, will serve as specimens, both
of his work and of his signature.
The following transactions of Thomas Lincoln
appear in the land records of Berks County,
Pennsylvania :
* The "List of Jurors" was found by the co-operation of
the Prothonotary and his aides. The original of the execu
tion account is in the possession of Louis Richards, Esq., of
Reading, President of the Bucks County Historical Society,
who kindly permitted the writer to have it photographed.

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'i

a
i

A.

List of Petit Jury Returned by Thomas
Lincoln, Sheriff of Reading, Pa.

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 75
Grantor Thomas Lincoln, Dec. 29, 1757, Grantee William
Tallman, Schuylkill, book 6, page 327.
Grantor Thomas Lincoln, Feb. 15, 1759, Grantee Richard
Wistar, Hereford, book 5, page 373.
Grantor Thomas Lincoln, Nov. 4, 1760, Grantee Michael
Zeister, Exeter, book 2, page 178.
Grantee Thomas Lincoln, Sept. 9, 1761, Grantor Hans
Adam Epler, Reading, book 9, page 435.
Grantor Thomas Lincoln, Nov. 14, 1761, Grantee Adam
Scheier, Reading, book 3B, page 263.
Grantee Thomas Lincoln, May 14, 1762, Grantor David
Henderson, Reading, book 4, page 265.
Grantor Thomas Lincoln, Nov. 28, 1763, Grantee Jacob
Rowbold, Reading, book 9, page 437.
Grantor Thomas Lincoln, Mar. 14, 1764, Grantee Conrad
Bower, Reading, book 4, page 267.
Grantee Thomas Lincoln, May 4, 1774, Grantor Mary
Rogers, Discharge, book iB, page 536.
The following document gives us a specimen
of the business transactions of Thomas Lincoln,
Sheriff: To all People to whom these Presents shall
come I Thomas Lincoln late Sheriff of the County
of Berks in the province of Pennsylvania send
Greeting Whereas by a writ of Fieri Facias to
me directed bearing Teste the Fifteenth Day of
February in the Thirty second Year of the King's
Reign (1759) issuing out of the Court of Com
mon Pleas of the County aforesaid I was Com
manded That of the Goods and Chattels Lands
and Tenements which were of Rudolph Berkey
late of the said County Yeoman deceased other
wise lately called Rudolph Pierge of Maxataneya
twship Philadelpa County Yeoman at the Time of

76 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
his Death in the hands of Richard Wistar late
of my County Merchant Acting Executor of the
last Will and Testament of the said Rudolph
Berkey in my Bailiwick I should Cause to be
levied as well a Certain Debt of One Thousand
Pounds lawful Money of Pennsylvania * * * *
Now Know ye that I the said Thomas Lincoln
late Sheriff of the County of Berks aforesaid for
and in consideration of the aforesaid Sum of One
thousand and Ten pounds unto me well and truly
paid by the said Richard Wistar at and before
the ensealing and delivery hereof the Receipt
whereof I do hereby Acknowledge and thereof do
Acquit and for ever discharge the said Richard
Wistar his Heirs Executors and Administrators
by these presents have granted bargained Sold
Aliened released and Confirmed And by force and
Virtue of the last recited Writ and of the Laws
of this province in such Case made and provided
do grant bargain sell alien release and Confirm
unto the said Richard Wistar and to his Heirs and
Assigns All those the above described Messuage *
***************
In the deed of Thomas Lincoln to Michael Zeister
we have important information of Thomas Lincoln's
land: This Jndenture made the fourth Day of No
vember in the Year of Our Lord one thousand
seven hundred and sixty Between Thomas Lin-

*Deed Book 5. P- 373 et seq., Recorder's Office, Read
ing, Pa.

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION ff
coin of the Town of Reading in the County of
Berks in the Province of Pennsylvania Esquire
and Elizabeth his Wife of the one part And
Michael Zeister of the same Place Sadler of the
-other part Witnesseth that the said Thomas Lin
coln and Elizabeth his Wife for and in Consid
eration of the Sum of one thousand pounds law
ful Money of Pennsylvania to them in hand paid
by the said Michael Zeister the receipt whereof
is hereby acknowledged have given granted ali
ened released enfeoffed and confirmed and by
these presents do give grant bargain and sell
alien release enfeoff and confirm unto the said
Michael Zeister and his heirs a certain Tract and
parcel of Land situated in Exeter Township in
Berks County aforesaid Bounded by the follow
ing lines to wit * * * * thence by Land of Ab
raham Lincoln and other Land of the said Wil
liam Tallman * * * * Containing by Computa
tion three hundred and three acres be the same
more or less [Being part of a Tract of one thou
sand Acres of Land which Tobias Collet Daniel
Quair and Henry Goldey by Deed Dated the twen-
tyeth day of February Anno Domini 1718 granted
to a certain Andrew Robeson in ffee And which
the said Andrew Robeson by his Last Will
devised to his son Jonathan Robeson in ffee
* * * and which the said Jonathan Robeson
by Deed Dated the twenty seventh day of Octo
ber Anno Domini 1729 granted to a certain
Thomas Willard in ffee And which the said
Thomas Millard by Deed dated dated the tenth

7% ABRAHAM LINCOLN
day of May Anno Domini 1730 granted to Mor
decai Lincoln (the Father of the said Thomas
Lincoln) in ffee One third part of which One-
Thousand-Acre-Tract the said Mordecai Lincoln
by his Last Will and Testament dated the twenty
second day of February Anno Domini 1735
*************** Tho. Lincoln (Seal)
Elizabeth Lincoln (Seal)*
The following refer to sales of property made to
or by Thomas Lincoln in Reading :
This Jndenture Made the fourteenth Day of
November in the year of our Lord one thousand
Seven Hundred & sixty one Between Thomas Lin
coln of the town of Reading in the County of
Berks and province of Pennsylvania Gentleman
and Elizabeth his wife of the one part and Adam
Scheir of the said town of Reading Carpenter of
the other part Whereas the Honble Thomas Penn
& Richard Penn Esquires Proprietories in * * * *
1752 did Give Grant Release and confirm unto a
Certain Francis Morgan * * * * Lot of Ground
situate in the Town of Reading aforesaid and
Marked in the General Plan of the said Town
N° 404 * * * *
And Whereas the said Francis Morgan and
Jane his wife by Deed indented under their Hands
and Seals bearing date the thirteenth day of No
vember in the year of our Lord one thousand

* Deed Book 2, 175 ff„ in Recorder's office, Reading, Pa.

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 79
seven hundred and sixty one for the Considera
tion therein Mentioned did Grant and Confirm
unto a Certain Thomas Lincoln and to his Heirs
and Assigns All that the above Mentioned and
Described Lot of Ground N° 404 With the Ap
purtenances &c*
This Indenture made the Fourteenth Day of
March in the Year of our Lord one Thousand
Seven Hundred and Sixty four Between Thomas
Lincoln of Reading in Berks County and Prov
ince of Pennsylvania Mason and Elizabeth his
Wife of the one part And Conrad Bower of the
same Place Inn Keeper of the other part &c.**
[Consideration 130 pounds, fyz acres.]
Thomas Lincoln appears also, even more fre
quently than Mordecai his elder brother, in the old
Account Book of Abraham Lincoln, their youngest
brother, as the following entries will show : £ s d
1756 Thomas Lincoln to 3 days work at
2 s Pr day 060
Thomas Lincoln Cr by one Quir
and a. y2 oi Paper 010
Thos Lincoln to one day and a half c 3 o
Thos Lincoln fife days and a halfs
work Dt o 11 o
Thos Lincoln to one weeks Work o 12 o
Thos Lincoln to one day and y2
halfs work 030

* Deed Book 3 B, pp. 265 et seq.
** Deed Book 4, pp. 267 et seq.

8° ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Tho3 Lincoln to one days work 020

o

Tho3 Lincoln Dt for work o 1
Tho3 Lincoln to Cash Lent o ? ?
Thos Lincoln dt upon Ballans
March ye first 007
Tho3 Lincoln to sawing 6 foot 013
1758 Thos Lincoln to sawing 5 days at
s d
at 2.. 6 per Day o 12 6
Decmbr 30 Tho3 Lincoln to one
half Days work 010
Jany Tho8 Lincoln to one
Days wriding [writing?] 026
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, SON OF MORDECAI OF EXETER.
The third son of Mordecai Lincoln, the elder, of
Exeter, was John Lincoln, or "Virginia John," as
tradition has handed down his name. Inasmuch as
it is through him that the migration of the Lincoln
family is continued into Virginia and in his descend
ants to Kentucky, it will be more convenient to treat
him last and to consider his youngest brother, Abra
ham, next before leaving the traces of the family in
Pennsylvania. The records of Abraham Lincoln, the posthumous
son of Mordecai the elder, of Exeter, and his de
scendants are preserved fortunately in an old family
book, or "Lincoln Record," as we shall call it
here. This book, still preserved in manuscript, is
one of the precious heirlooms of the descendants of
Abraham Lincoln. The MS. contains, in the first
part, the record of the family of Abraham Lincoln

First Page of the Account Book of Abraham Lincoln, of Exeter.
(Original in the Possession of Richard Lincoln, of Reading, Pa.)

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 8 1
and, in the second part, the record of the Boone
family.* The Record appears to have been first
kept by posthumous Abraham Lincoln, then by
his sons Mordecai and Thomas, and then by Thomas'
son, John D. Lincoln and others. It was copied some
years ago by Harrison P. Lincoln, who had blue
prints made and furnished a number of them to
libraries and individuals.
The Lincoln Record is very precise in its data, as
the entries, concerning Abraham Lincoln and Anna
Boone, his wife, will show. The text of the Lincoln
part of the "Lincoln Record" is printed in full at the
end of this chapter.
The name of Abraham Lincoln, the posthumous
son of Mordecai, the elder, of Exeter, like that of
his brothers, appears in the tax lists of Berks County,
Pennsylvania, as the following, taken from the orig
inals, now found in the possession of the Berks
County Historical Society, will show :

*A fragmentary record of the Boone family in the hand
writing of the Lincoln Record is still extant in loose sheets
in the possession of Louis Richards, President of the Berks
County Historical Society. It contains the following inter
esting notes :
"Daniel Boone [son of Squire & Sarah Boone] was born
October, A. D. 1733.
He and the Rest of their Family left Exeter on the 1 May
1750, and moved to North Carolina, where they settled. But
at present he is settled on the Ohio at Kentucky.
1781 October 20. Then Daniel came to see us, the first
Time. 1788 February 12. Then Daniel Boone (with Rebecca his
Wife & their Son Nathan) came to see us. Died at Charette
Village in Missouri on the 26 of Sept. 1820."

18 i 7

Exeter

9

Exeter

20 5

Exeter

19 1 8

6

Exeter

18 4

6

Exeter

82 ABRAHAM LINCOLN £ £ s. d. Township
1758 Abraham Lincoln
[Single Men] 1
(Special Assessment)
1759 Lincoln Abram Exeter
1759 Abram Lincorn
[Single Men]
1760 Lincoln Abram
1 76 1 Lincoln, Abram*
1763 Lincoln Abram
1765 Lincoln Abraham
1766 Lincoln Abram
The following entries of transactions of Abraham
Lincoln appear in the land records :
Grantor Abraham Lincoln, Dec. 29, 1757, Grantee William
Tallman, Sch. River, book 2B, page 43.
Grantors Abraham Lincoln et al., Apr. 11, 1769, Grantee
Mordecai Lincoln, book 14, page 543.
Grantors Thomas and Abraham Lincoln, May 9, 1769,
Grantee Mordecai Lincoln, Exeter, book 11, page 307.
Grantor Abraham Lincoln, May 26, 1769, Grantee William
Tallman, Exeter, book 7, page 195.
The first of these documents gives such important
information that it seemed well to print it here.
From it we learn the title to the land before Morde
cai, the elder, of Exeter bought it, and also the fact
that Abraham Lincoln was the posthumous son of
Mordecai, the elder :

* This assessment was probably made in 1760, as the
Lincoln Record says Abraham Lincoln married Anna Boone
July 10, 1760.

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 83
This Indenture Made the twenty ninth day of
December in the Year of our Lord one thousand
seven hundred and fifty seven Between Abraham
Lincoln of Exeter in the County of Berks In the
Province of Pennsylvania Yeoman of the one part
and William Tallman of the same place Weaver
of the other part Whereas by Certain Indentures
of Lease and Release dated the Nineteenth and
Twentieth days of February in the Year of our
Lord one thousand seven hundred & Eighteen
made between Tobias Collet Citizen and Haber
dasher of London Daniel Quair of London and
Henry Goldney of London Linnen Draper of one
part and Andrew Robison then of Roxburrow in
the County of Philadelphia Yeoman of the Other
part and Recorded in Philada- in Book H Coll. 4.
page 118 & they the said Tobias Collet Daniel
Quair, and Henry Goldney for the Consideration
therein Mentioned Confirmed unto the said An
drew Robison in ffee A Certain Tract of Land
Lying on the East side of the River Schuylkill in
Philadelpa. County Beginning at a Beech tree by
the said River Schuylkill and Running thence
North twenty degrees East four hundred and
twenty Perches to a Corner Stone thence North
Seventy degrees West ffour hundred and twenty
perches to a post then South Twenty Degrees West
two hundred and Ninty Perches to a Hickery Tree
marked Standing on the Bank of the said River
then down the same on ye Several Courses thereof
to the place of beginning Containing one thousand
Acres of Land [and a Certain Tract of Six Hun-

84 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
dred Acres Lying on the West Side of Schuylkill
with the Appurtenances] The said Two Tracts of
Land to be holden by the said Andrew Robison
his heirs and Assigns Under the Yearly Quit Rent
of one Bever Skin on the first day of March for
ever and the said Andrew Robison being So
Seized of the said Premises Dyed did by his Last
Will and Testament bearing date Anno Domi 1719
Give unto his third Son Jonathan Robison the
above Described one thousand Acres of Land with
ye Appurtenances And Whereas Andrew Robison
Eldest Son and heir at Law of the said Andrew
Robison the Testator in and by a Deed Poll under
his hand and Seal duly Executed for ye Consid
eration Therein Mentioned did Grant Release Quit
Claim and Confirm unto the said Jonathan Robi
son all the said one thousand Acres of Land with
the Appurtenances To hold to him the said Jona
than Robison His Heirs and Assigns forever as
by the said Deed dated the tenth day of January
A : D : 1726 may Appear And Whereas by Cer
tain Indentures of Lease & Release Tripartite made
between Jonathan Robison and Elizabeth his wife
of the first part Mordecai Lincoln of ye second
part and Thomas Millard of ye third part the
said Jonathan Robison & Elizabeth his Wife
and Mordecai Lincoln by Indentures of
Lease and Release dated the Sixth and Seventh
days of Octobed 1729 did Confirm ye said one
thousand Acres of Land unto Thomas Millard in
ffee And the said Thomas Millard and Barbara his
Wife by Indentures of Lease and Release dated

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 85
the Ninth and tenth days of May A0. D°. 1730 did
Confirm the same One thousand Acres of Land
unto the Above Named Mordecai Lincoln ye Elder
in fee and being so Seized thereof dyed Who
by his Last Will and Testament dated the 22 day
of February A: D: 1735 and Registered in ye
Registers Office in Philada. June 7. 1736 did give
and Bequeath unto his Son Abraham Lincoln
[Party to these Presents] the one third Part of
the said one thousand Acres of Land to be taken
from the West End thereof which hath been Ami
cably Done Now This Indenture Witnesseth
that the said Abraham Lincoln for and in Consid
eration of the Sum of Nine Pound Current Money
of Pennsylvania to him in hand paid by the said
William Tallman at and before ye Sealing and
Delivery hereof the Receipt thereof is hereby ac
knowledged Hath granted bargained and Sold
Aliened Enfeofed and Confirmed and by these
presents doth grant bargain and Sell Alien En-
feofe & Confirm uneo the said William Tallman
and to his heirs and Assigns forever A Certain
Messuage Tenement and Piece of Land [part of
the one third part of the above Described one
thousand Acres Beginning at an Ash tree Stand
ing on the West bank of the Great Creek in a line
of Thomas Lincolns Land thence by ye Same
North Seventeen Degrees and a half East thirty
one Perches to a Black Oak & a Corner thence
by sa Abraham Lincoln's Other Land the three
following Courses and distances Viz. North Sev
enty two degrees and a half West Eight perches

86

ABRAHAM LINCOLN
to a hickory and South twenty Nine Degrees
West Thirty one perches and a half to a post
thence South Seventy two degrees and a half
East twelve perches & Six tenths to the place
of beginning Containing two Acres of Land To
gether with all wood Underwoods Ways Waters
Water Courses profits commodities Advantages
Hereditaments and Appurtenances whatsoever
unto the Above Described Piece of Land belong
ing or in any wise appertaining and the Reversion
And Reversions Remainder and Remainders
Rents Issues and Profits thereof and all the Es
tate Right title Jnterest Claim and Demand of
him the said Abraham Lincoln in and to the prem
ises herein Mentioned or Intended to be Men
tioned and every Part and Parcell thereof
And the said Abraham Lincoln for himself his
heirs and Assigns doth Covenant promise and
grant unto the said William Tallman and to his
heirs and Assigns that he the said William Tall
man for himself his heirs and Assigns shall haye
the Sole priviledge and Power to draw and Con
vey [According as he his heirs or Assigns shall
think fit for the sufficient Watering the said Piece
of Land out of the Above Mentioned Great Creek
or any part of said Creek that is near the bounds
of said Two Acres of Land To have and to
hold the said Messuage Tennament and Piece
of Land and all and Singular the premises And
Priviledges aforesaid and every part and Clause
thereof with the Appurtenances unto the said
William Tallman his heirs and Assigns to the only

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Administrators' Account of the Estate of Abraham Lincoln, Son of
Mordecai Lincoln, of Exeter. (First Page. )

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Administrators' Account of the Estate of Abraham Lincoln, Son of
Mordecai Lincoln, of Exeter. (Second Page.)

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 87
proper Use and behoof of him the said William
Tallman his heirs and Assigns for Ever Under
the proportional part of the Yearly Quitrents
from hence forward accruing unto the Chief Lord
or Lords of the ffee thereof And the said
Abraham Lincoln for himself And his heirs doth
Covenant with the said William Tallman his
heirs and Assigns that the said Abraham Lin
coln and his heirs the above Mentioned Messuage
Tennament and Piece of Land Hereditament
Premises and Priviledges and every Part and
Clause thereof with the Appurtenances unto the
said William Tallman his heirs and Assigns
Against all persons whatsoever Shall Warrant
and forever Defend By these presents And fur
ther that he the said Abraham Lincoln and his
heirs and every Other Person and Persons and
his and their heirs any thing having or Claiming
in the said Messuage and Piece of Land And
Priviledges above mentioned to be hereby Grant
ed or any Part thereof shall and will at all times
hereafter upon the Reasonable Request and at
the Cost and Charges of the said William Tall
man his heirs and Assigns Make do and Exe
cute or Cause to be all and every such further &
other Lawfull and Reasonable Act and Acts
thing and things Device and Devises Conveyance
& Conveyances in the Law whatsoever for the
further and better assuring & Confirming of
ye Above Mentioned Piece of Land & Priviledges
with the Appurtenances unto the said William
Tallman his heirs and Assigns forever as by his

88 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
or their Counsil Learned in the Law shall be
Reasonably Devised Advised and Required In
Witness whereof the said Abraham Lincoln hath
hereunto Set his hand and Seal dated the day
and year first above writen. Abraham Lincoln
(Seal) Sealed and Delivered in the presence of
Us John Powell Benja. Parks Received the day of
the date of the Above Writen Indenture of the
Above Named William Tallman The Sum of
Nine Pounds being in full the Consideration
above Mentioned J say Received Abraham Lin
coln John Powell Benja. Park (indorsed thus) On
the Eighteenth Day of Aug*. Anno Domi 1759
before me Jonas Seely Esqr. one of the Justices
&c for the County of Berks Came ye within
Named Abram Lincoln and Acknowledged the
within Indenture to be his Act and Deed and De-
sird the same May be Recorded as such in Tes
timony where of J have hereunto Set my Hand
and Seal the Day & Date above written Jonas
Seely (Seal) (and further indorsed thus)
To All People to Whome these presents
shall Come Know ye that we Mordecai Lincoln
and Thomas Lincoln of Exeter in the County of
Berks in the Province of Pennsylvania [Sons of
Mordecai Lincoln Deceased and Within Men
tioned] for divers good Causes and Considera
tions us thereunto Moving have Remised Re
leased and forever Quit Claimed and By these
presents do Remise Release and for Ever Quit
Claim unto William Tallman [within Mentioned]
his heirs and Assigns for Ever all that Messuage

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Administrator's Account of the Estate of Ann Lincoln, Widow
of Abraham Lincoln, of Exeter.

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 89
Tenement And Piece of Land of two Acres with
the priviledges and Appurtenances and every part
thereof [Which in the Within Indenture is Speci
fied Mentioned or Intended to be Mentioned] To
have and to hold all and Singular the said Mes
suage Tennament and Piece of Land and Privi-
ledge with the Appurtenances unto the said Wil
liam Tallman his heirs and Assigns forever
And all the Estate Right Title Interest Claim and
Demand whatsoever of us the said Mordecai
and Thomas Lincoln and of each of us our heirs
and each of our heirs and Assigns or any Other
Person or Persons Claiming or to Claim by from
or Under us or Any of Us of in and to the
thereby Granted Premises & Privileges or any
Part thereof In Witness whereof we have here
unto Jnterchangeably Set our hand & Seals This
twenty Ninth Day of December in the Year of
our Lord one thousand Seven hundred and fifty
Seven Mordecai Lincoln (Seal) Thomas Lincoln
(Seal) Sealed and Delivered in the presence
of Us John Powell Benja. Parks Berks County ss
Be it remembered that on the twenty fifth Day
of October Anno Domini 1774 Before me the
Subscriber One of His Majesty's Justices of the
Peace of the County of Berks Came Benjamin
Parks of the Town of Reading in the said County
Joiner and (being one of the People called Quak
ers) on his solemn Affirmation according to Law
did declare that he saw the Above Named Mor
decai Lincoln & Thomas Lincoln Sign Seal and
as their Act and Deed respectively deliver the
above Instrument of Writing and that the Name

9° ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Benja. Parks thereto Subscribed is of this Affirm
ant's proper Hand Writing and was by him Sub
scribed as a Witness to the Execution thereof
(John Powell the other Witness Signing his
Name as Witness at the Same time) And at the
Same Time Came also to the above named Thomas
Lincoln and Acknowledged the above Instrument
of Writing to be his Act and Deed and desired the
same might be recorded as such According to Law
Witness my Hand and Seal the Day and Year
aforesaid James Read (Seal) Recorded and this
Record and the Original diligently compared and
found to Agree exactly Word for Word and Fig
ure for Figure the Twenty Sixth Day of October
Anno Domini 1774.
The old Account Book of Abraham Lincoln shows
that he ran a sawmill, which stood on the race run
ning through the land of the brothers, Mordecai and
Abraham Lincoln. The earliest reference in the
account to the sawmill is found in the following
entry made in the year 1758 :
Mordecai Lincoln to one half days sewing Jn
exchange of Work £ s d
Thomas Lincoln to Sawing of 60 foot 010
The mill account continues on into the seventies,
showing that Abraham carried on a steady business
at the mill.
In the land records the following references to the
race and the sawmill are found :

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 9 1
"that nothing herein before mentioned expressed
or contained shall in any wise prevent or hinder
the said Mordecai Lincoln and Abraham Lincoln
their Heirs Executors Administrators or Assigns
or any of them from having or enjoying all the
Liberties and Privileges to which they are respec
tively intitled to by Virtue of certain Articles of
Agreement Dated the first Day of April Anno
Domini one thousand seven hundred and fifty
eight made between Abraham Lincoln George
Henton, Mordecai Lincoln and Thomas Lincoln
concerning a Water Saw 'Mill now erected and
made on the Land of the said Mordecai Lincoln
and Abraham Lincoln their Heirs and Assigns re
spectively are or shall be entitled to relative to
the Water of the said Creek & Water Course
aforesaid by Virtue of the Said recited Award]
Said Mordecai Lincoln (Seal) Abraham Lincoln
(Seal)"
***** North five degrees East Eleven Perches
to a Black Oak on the said Race thence on the
same North four Degrees West Ten Perches to
a White Oak Bush on Abraham Lincoln's Line
thence by the same Abraham's Land South sev
enteen Degrees and a half West one hundred
and nineteen Perches to an Ash Tree, on the West
Bank of the Great Creek (being a Corner of the
said Abraham and Thomas Lincoln's and Wil
liam Tallman's Land) thence Crossing the Said
Creek by Thomas Lincoln's Land  *

* This document is a Deed of Sale by William Tallman
and Anne Tallman, his wife, to Jacob Bechtel Oct. 16, 1766.

92 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
The old Account Book of Abraham Lincoln, the
posthumous son of Mordecai, the elder, of Exeter,
is extant. It begins with 1756 and continues quite
regularly until 1772 and after that with considerable
gaps until 1779. The book affords an interesting
glimpse into the daily occupations of the Lincolns,
Boones, Hintons, Rogers and other families of Berks
County before the Revolution. It is a rare document
as an original source of Pennsylvania history. The
MS. is 3 11/16 x 6 1/8 inches in size and
contains 41 leaves. The book now belongs to
Richard Lincoln, of Reading, Pennsylvania, who
allowed the present writer to make use of it.
Abraham Lincoln was a man of importance in his
community. The Commission Book for the years
1 758- 1 783 shows that he was elected County Com
missioner October, 1772, and served till 1779. He
appears as Sub-Lieutenant in Berks County, March
21, 1777.
He was elected to the Assembly as follows :
October 28, 1782.
October 27, (?) 1783.
October 25, 1784.
October 24, 1785.
He served as assemblyman on the very impor
tant Committee of Grievances and was an important
champion of the rights of the people in every meas
ure that affected the delegation of the power of the
people. This was particularly noticeable in constitu-

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First Two Pages of the Old "Lincoln Record."
(Original in the Possession of Harrison G. Lincoln, of Reading, Pa.)

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 93
tional discussions of 1785-6. Abraham Lincoln
was chosen to make the address to Washington in
Philadelphia after the close of the Revolution. He
also took part in the Constitutional Convention of
1 789- 1 790.*
As the Account Book shows, he was Super
visor of Roads and evidently entrusted with the re
pairs of the school house in 1771, showing probably
that he was Chief School Commissioner. Abraham
Lincoln died January 31, 1806, and was buried at
Exeter. Ann, his wife and widow, died April 4,
1807, and was buried also at Exeter. The estates of
both Abraham and Ann were settled by their chil
dren, as the accompanying photographic reproduc
tions of the administrators' accounts with their sig
natures will show. LINCOLN RECORD.
Abraham Lincoln (son of Mordecai Lincoln
and Mary his Wife) born on the Second Day of
the Week, at 7.. O Clock in the Afternoon on
the 18th of October, Old Style, Anno Domini
1736: or, A. D. 1736 October 29, New Style.
Anna Boone (Daughter of James Boone and
Mary his Wife) born on the First Day of the
Week, about 5.. O'Clock in the Afternoon, on

?These facts relating to Abraham Lincoln's activity as a
member of the Assembly are taken from a most interesting
unpublished paper by Dr. A. H. Shearer, of Dartmouth Col
lege, who kindly allowed the present writer to make them
public.

94 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
the 3« of April, Old Style, Anno Domini 1737-
or, A. D. 1737 April 14th New Style_
Abraham Lincoln and Anna Boone were Mar
ried on the Fifth Day of the Week, on the
10th of July A. D. 1760 when his age was 23
Years 8 Mon. 11 Days and her Age was 23 " 2
" 26 " —he being 5 months 15 Days & 22 Hours
older than she.
N. B. The Style was altered in the Year
1752. The 2nd of September was the last day
in the Old Style; and next day instead of ac
counting it the 3rd of September it was accounted
the 14th of Sept. next day the 15th &c
Here follows the Times of the Births of the
Children of Abraham Lincoln & Anne Lincoln his
Wife, with the Differences of their Ages set down
likewise. Ist Mary Lincoln, (Daughter of Abraham Lin
coln & Anne Lincoln) Born the 15th of September
Anno Domini 1761, on the Third Day of the Week,
about 10.. o'Clock at Night.
2nd Martha Lincoln, (Daughter of Abraham
Lincoln & Anne Lincoln) Born the 25th of January
Anno Domini 1763, on the Third Day of the Week,
about 10.. o'Clock in the Morning.
Martha being iY.. 4M.. 9D.. 12H. younger than
Mary. 3d Mordecai Lincoln, junior, (son of Abraham
& Anne Lincoln) Born the 11th of January Anno
Domini 1765 on the Sixth Day of the Week about
15 Minutes after Seven in the Morning.

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 95
Mordecai being iY. 11M.. 16D.. 21H.. 15 Min.
younger than Martha.
4th James Lincoln (son of Abraham & Anne
Lincoln Born the 5th of May Anno Domini 1767,
on the Third Day of the Week, at or about 10..
o'Clock in the Morning.
James being 2Y.. 3M.. 24D.. 45m. younger than
Mordecai. 5th Anna Lincoln, (Daughter of Abraham &
Anne Lincoln Born the 19th of April Anno Domini
1769, on the 4th Day of the Week, at 7. o'Clock in
the Morning.
Anna being iY.. 11M.. 13D.. 21H. younger than
James. 6th Rachel Lincoln (Daughter of Abraham Lin
coln & Anne Lincoln) Born the 24th of March
A. D. 1771, on the First Day of the Week at 19
Minutes past 6.. o'Clock in the Morning.
Rachel being iY.. 11M.. 4D.. 23H.. younger
than Anna.
7th Phebe Lincoln (Daughter of Abraham Lin
coln and Anne Lincoln) Born in Anno Domini
1773 January 22d on the Sixth Day of the Week
at 5 Minutes past 8.. o'Clock at Night.
Phebe being iY.. 9M.. 29D. : 13H. : 46m. younger
than Rachel.
8th Anne Lincoln (Daughter of Abraham &
Anne Lincoln) was born in Anno Domini 1774
October 19th on the Fourth Day of the Week, at
25 minutes past 11.. o'Clock in the Morning.
Anne being 1 Y. : 8M. : 26D. : 15H. : 20m. younger
than Phebe.

96 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Rachel Lincoln (the 6th child of Abraham &
Anne Lincoln) departed this Life on the Fourth
Day of the Week, at 50 Minutes past 1 o'Clock in
the Afternoon, and on the 19th day of July, A. D.
1775; aged 4Y. : 3M. : 25D. : 7H. : 31m. and was
interred at Exeter the next Day.
9th Thomas Lincoln (son of Abraham & Anne
Lincoln) was born on the Fourth Day of the Week
at 10 Minutes past two in the Morning, and on the
12th Day of March A. D. 1777.
Thomas being 2Y. : 4.M.: 20D. : 14H. : 45m.
younger than Anne.
10th John Lincoln (son of Abraham & Anne
Lincoln) was born on the Fifth Day of the Week
at ten Minutes past three in the Morning, and on
the 21st Day of October A. D. 1779.
John being 2Y. : 7M. : 9D. : iH. younger than
Thomas. Abraham Lincoln (son of Mordecai & Mary
Lincoln) departed this Life, at his House in
Exeter, on the 6th Day of the Week at 15 minutes
past 7 in the Morning and on the 31st of January
A. D. 1806 aged 69 Y. : 3M. : iD. : 7H. : 15M. and
was interred at Exeter on the 2nd of February on
the First Day of the Week.
Ann Lincoln (Widow of Abraham Lincoln) de
parted this Life in Exeter on the 7th day of the
Week, at 10 minutes past 2 in the afternoon and on
the 4th of April A. D. 1807 aged 69 Y. 11M. 21D.
14H. 10m. and was interred at Exeter on the 6th
of April on the 2nd day of the Week.
Julian Mayberry born the 5th Day of February
A D 1780.

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 97
Mordecai Lincoln & Julian Mayberry were Mar
ried the 5th of May A. D. 1812 on the 3rd day of
the Week at 8 O'Clock in the afternoon.
1. Rachel Lincoln (daughter of Mordecai &
Julian Lincoln) was Born the 6th of May A. D.
1813 on the 5th day of the Week, at 6 o'clock in
the Afternoon.
2. Ann Lincoln (Daughter of Mordecai &
Julian Lincoln) born the Ist of August A. D. 1814
on the 2nd Day of the Week at 50 Minutes past 2
o Clock in the Morning.
Ann being iY. : 2M. : 24D. : 14H. : 50m. younger
than Rachel.
3. Abraham M. Lincoln (son of Mordecai &
Julian Lincoln) born the Ist of August A D 1814
on the 2nd Day of the Week, at 48 Minutes past 6
o Clock in the Morning.
Abraham being 3H. : 58m younger than Ann.
Ann Lincoln (Daughter of Mordecai & Julian
Lincoln) departed this Life on the 4th of August
1 8 14 on the 5th Day of the Week at 8 o Clock in
the Morning Aged 3D. : 7H. : 12m.
Abraham Lincoln (son of Mordecai & Julian
Lincoln) departed this Life on the 8th of August
1815 on the 3rd Day of the Week at 10 o.Clock at
Night Aged iY. : oM. : 7D. : 15H. : 12m.
4. Margaret Lincoln (Daughter of Mordecai &
Julian Lincoln) born July 21 A D 1817, 40 minutes
past 5 O Clock in the Morning And departed this
Life 1817 on the 13th Day of August at 24 minutes
past 3 o Clock in the Morning. Aged 22D. : 21H. :
44m.

98 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
5. Margaret Lincoln (Daughter of Mordecai &
Julian Lincoln) born May 12th 1820 at o o Clock
and 48 Minutes in the afternoon.
Mordecai Lincoln (Son of Abraham Lincoln &
Anne his Wife) Departed this Life in Exeter
Township the 12th day of September on the 5th
day of the Week about 10 minutes before 6 o Clock
in the afternoon A D 1822 Aged 57Y : 8M. : iD.
When he had Lived with his Wife 10Y. : 3M. 7D.
Julian Lincoln Widow of Mordecai Lincoln
Departed this life in Allentown Lehigh Co. the 6th
Day of March on the 7th day of the Week about
12 o Clock noon A D 1858 Aged 78 Y. : iM. : iD.
Margaret Lincoln & Bartholomew Barto were
Married Dec 7th 1841 Her Age being 21Y. : 8M. :
7D. Alice Dehaven daughter of Abraham Dehaven
from Lancaster Co. and wife of Thomas Lincoln
was born June 25th 1770. She departed this Life
Dec 29th 1836 Aged 66 Y. 6M. 3D.
Thomas Lincoln departed this life Dec 27th 1863
Aged 86Y. 9M. 15D.
Martha Lincoln daughter of Thomas & Allice
Lincoln departed this Life Oct. 12th 1858 at 9
o clock in the morning Aged 46Y. : 10M. : 20D.
(called also Martha Kaub) Grave is 6th in 5th row
at Exeter Meeting.
John D Lincoln son of Thomas & Alice Lin
coln was born Jan 1 1815 on the Ist day of the
Week. [Book is here defaced, but it appears to be a
record of a 2nd Marriage of Thomas Lincoln to

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 99
Hannah E  , who was born the 7th of March,
1827, near Douglassville — Flarrison P. Lincoln.]
John Lincoln son of Abraham Lincoln, departed
this life on the 4th Day of April 1864 Aged 84Y.
SM. 21D.
James Lincoln son of Abraham Lincoln died in
Carnarven Twp. Berks Co. in Morgantown 3rd
day of Week between 8 & 9 o'Clock in the morn
ing A D i860 Aged 93 Y. 7M. 6D.
Interred at Morgantown 13th.
David J. Lincoln died April 10th 1886 at Birds-
borough Aged 70 years.
Children of John D. & Sarah Lincoln.
1 Ametia Born March 28 1838
2 Alfred " Apr 21 1839
3 Harrison H. Born July 28 1840
4 Elizabeth " Nov 20 1841
5 John " Mar 7 1843 Died July 19
1876
6 Richard Born Dec 5th 1844
7 Martha " " 12th 1846
8 Ann (or Anna) Born Feb 16th 1849
9 Sarah " May 24th 1851
10 Mary " Apr 24th 1852
11 Oscar " Feb 16 1855 Died Apr
25th 1857
[Book is here defaced but record appears to
read that John D Lincoln married Sarah Solbert
or Gilbert on Jan 2th 1837 and that he died Jan 27
1868 — Harrison P. Lincoln]*

* The copy made by Harrison P. Lincoln, now found in
the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, has been used in con
nection with the original manuscript Lincoln Record.

IOO ABRAHAM LINCOLN

CHAPTER VI.
JOHN LINCOLN OR "VIRGINIA JOHN," SON OF
MORDECAI OF EXETER.
It is with John Lincoln, the third son of Mordecai
Lincoln, the elder, of Exeter, that the Lincoln line
continues its migration from Pennsylvania into Vir
ginia, the Great Valley and the Middle West. It
has been possible to trace the track of this migration
in the land records and other documents.
According to the will of his father, Mordecai Lin
coln, the elder, of Exeter, John Lincoln received his
share of the estate his father's land in New Jersey.
So whatever land he possessed in Pennsylvania had
to be acquired by purchase in some form. The earli
est mention of John Lincoln in the land records of
Pennsylvania is found in proprietary grant dated
June 28, 1746, and runs as follows:
THOMAS PENN & RICHARD PENN
Esquires true and absolute Proprietaries and
Governors in Chief of the Province of Pennsyl
vania and Counties of Newcastle Kent & Sus
sex upon Delaware To all unto whom these Pres
ents shall come Greeting:
Whereas in Pursuance of a Warrant dated the
Twenty eighth Day of lune one thousand seven
hundred and forty six there was surveyed unto
Iohn Lloyd A certain Tract of Land situate in

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION IOI
Union Street in the County of Berks Beginning
at a marked black Oak Thence by vacant Land
South West seventy nine Perches to a Post South
East one hundred and eight Perches to a Chest
nut Oak and North East seventy nine Perches
to a Post Thence by John Lloyd's other Land
North West one hundred and eight Perches to
the Place of Beginning Containing Fifty Acres
and forty nine Perches and Allowance of Six
Acres Pr Cent for Roads & Highways As in and
by the said Warrant and Survey remaining in the
Surveyor Generals Office & from thence Certified
into our Secretaries Office more fully appears and
Whereas the said John Lloyd in and by his Deed
or Articles of Agreement dated the ninth day of
October one thousand seven hundred and forty
six did grant bargain & sell all his Right to the
said Warrant Land & Improvements with the Ap
purtenances unto John Lincoln then of Caernar
von Township Yeoman his Heirs & Assigns for
ever As by the said Deed now produced appears
Now at the Instance and Request of the said
John Lincoln that we would be pleased to grant
him a Confirmation of the same know Ye that in
Consideration of the sum of Three Pounds fifteen
Shillings and eleven Pence lawful Money of Penn
sylvania to our Use paid by the said John Lin
coln (The Receipt whereof we hereby acknowl
edge and thereof do acquit and for ever Dis
charge the said John Lincoln his Heirs and As
signs by the Presents) and of the yearly Quitrent
hereinafter mentioned and reserved We have
given granted released and confirmed and by

102 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
these Presents do give grant release and confirm
unto the said John Lincoln his Heirs and As
signs the said Fifty Acres & forty-nine Perches
of Land as the same are now set forth bounded
and limited as aforesaid With all Mines Minerals
Quarries Meadows Marshes Savannahs Swamps
Cripples Woods Underwoods Timber and Trees
Ways Waters Watercourses Liberties Profits
Commodities Advantages Hereditaments & Ap
purtenances whatsoever thereunto belonging or
in any wise appurtaining and lying within the
Bounds & Limits aforesaid [Three full & clear
fifth Parts of all Royal Mines free from all De
ductions and Reprizals for digging & refining
the same and also one fifth Part of the Ore of
all other Mines delivered at the Pitsmouth only
excepted and hereby reserved] and also free
Leave Right and Liberty to and for the said
John Lincoln his Heirs and Assigns to Hawk
Hunt Fish & Fowl in & upon the hereby granted
Land and Premises or upon any Part thereof To
Have and to Hold the said fifty Acres and forty
nine Perches of Land & Premises hereby
granted (except as before excepted) with their
Appurtenances unto the said John Lincoln his
Heirs and Assigns To the only Use & Behoof of
the said John Lincoln his Heirs and Assigns for
ever To be Holden of us our Heirs & Succes
sors Proprietaries of Pennsylvania as of our
Manor of Ruscombe in the County of Berks
aforesaid in free & common Soccage by Fealty
only in Lieu of all other Services yielding and
Paying therefore yearly unto us our Heirs and

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION IO3
Successors at the Town of Reading in the said
County at or upon the first day of March in every
year one half Penny Sterling for every Acre of
the same Or Value thereof in Coin Current ac
count according as the Exchange shall then
be between our said Province and the City
of London to such Person or Persons as shall
from Time to Time be appointed to receive the
same And in Case of Nonpayment thereof within
ninety Days next after the same shall become due
That then it shall and may be lawful for us our
Heirs and Successors our and their Receiver or
Receivers into and upon the hereby granted Land
& Premises to Reenter & the same to hold
and possess until the said Quitrent and all ar
rears thereof Together with the Charges accruing
by means of such Nonpayment & Reentry be fully
paid and discharged Witness John Penn Esquire
Lieutenant Governor of the said Province Who by
Virtue of certain Powers & Authorities to him for
this Purpose inter alia, granted by the said Propri
etaries hath hereunto set his Hand and caused
the Great Seal of the said Province to be here
unto affixed at Philadelphia this seventh day of
lune in the year of our Lord one thousand seven
hundred and sixty five The Fifth Year of the
Reign of King George the Third over Great Brit
ain &c and the Forty seventh year of the said
Proprietaries Government Iohn Penn (L. S.) Re
corded the 10th day of lune, 1765.
A very important deed, dated November 8, 1748,

104 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
in which John Lincoln conveys his land in New Jer
sey to William Dye, gives us much valuable infor
mation, showing that he was the son of Mordecai,
the elder, of Exeter, and a weaver by trade, then
living in Caenarvon, Lancaster County, Pennsyl
vania : This Indenture made the eighth day of No
vember in the twentyeth second year of the
Reigne of our Soveraigne Lord George the Sec
ond of Great Brittain france and Ireland King
Defender of the faith &c in the Year of Our
Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty
eight Between John Lincon of the Township Car-
narvin in the County of Lancaster and Province
of Penselvania weaver the son and Heir of Mor
decai Lincon deceased of the one part and Wil
liam Dye of the County of Middlesex yeoman of
the other Part Witnesseth that the said John
Lincon for and in Consideration of the Sum of
Two hundred pounds current money of New Jer
sey at eight shillings p ounce to me in hand paid
by him the said William Dye the receipt whereof
he the said John Lincon doth hereby acknowledge
and himself to be therewith satisfied contented &
paid and thereof and of and from every part and
parsal thereof doth fully clearly and absolutely
acquit exonerate and discharge him the said Wil
liam Dye his Heirs Executors Administrators and
assigns for ever Hath Granted bargained Sold
aliened Convaid and Confirmed unto him the said
William Dye and to his Heirs and assigns forever
All that Tract of Land scituate lying and being in

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION IO5
the said County of Middlesex Beginning where
the Land formerly Walter Benthals crosses
Crarnberry brook from thence along said Ben
thals line towards the Post Road to the Land for
merly Robert Burnets And from thence along
said Burnets line in breadth so far that a parallel
line to the foresaid line of Benthels from the said
Burnets line to said Cranberry brook do contain
three hundred acres thence along the course of
said Benthals line to Cranberry brook and from
thence down the Brook to where it began Bound
ed Westerly by the Land formerly said Benthals
Northerly by Land formerly Robert Burnets
Easterly by Land formerly belonging to Herricon
and Southerly by Cranberry brook with all and
all manner of Houses Building [s] Mines Minerals
and Appurtenances and previliges whatsoever of
him the said John Lincon as well in Law as in
Equity of in or unto the said three hundred acres
of Land with the Reversion and Reversions Re
mainders of the Same To Have and to Hold the
aforesaid Three hundred acres of Land with all
the bargained Premises with the Appurtenances
unto him the said William Dye his Heirs and
assigns for ever to the only proper use benefit
and behoof of him the said William Dye his
Heirs and assigns And he the said John Lincon
for himself his Heirs Executors and administra
tors by these Presents in manner following viz
That he the said John Lincon at the time of the
Sealing & Delivering hereof hath in himself
good Right full Power' and lawful Authority to

106 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Grant bargain Sell Convey the said Three hun
dred acres of Land unto the said William Dye in
manner as aforesaid and that the same is and shall
continue free and clear from all incumbrances
whatsoever and will Warrant secure and Defend
the said William Dye his Heirs and assigns for
ever In Witness Whereof I have hereunto Set
my hand and Seal the day and year abovesaid.
John Lincon (L: S) Signed Sealed and Deliv
ered in Presence of us John Brainerd, Ebenezer
Hayward Memorandum that on the 24th day of
May 1750 John Lincon party to the within writ
ten Instrument appeared before me Andrew John
son one of His Majesty's Council for the Prov
ince of New Jersey and acknowledged that he
executed the same as his voluntary act and Deed
of the therein mentioned Andw Johnson
The name of John Lincoln appears in the early
tax lists of Berks County, Pennsylvania, as the fol
lowing assessments will show :
£ £ s. d. Township

1754 John Lincorn 38

9 6

Union

1758 John Lincoln 6

1 6

Amity

1758 John Lincoln

Nov 29 1758 4

6

Amity

(Special Assessment)

T758 John Lincoln 10
i5
Union
1759 Linckcoln John 10
i5
Union
1759 Lincoln John 1
Amity
(Single Man)
1759 Lincoln John 6
9
Amity
/A \ /A (%°--Aj:<L^ .-j fa ~/s&~ /^

y^yAe? *"*-<*-

fjf ,.<Jj?*-f

Receipt Showing the Signature of John Lincoln.
(Original is in the Collection of Former Governor S. W. Pennypacker.)

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 107

12

Union

8

12

Amity

13
12

19 3

6

Union

16

4

Amity
8
12
Amity
16
4
Amity
13
19
6
Amity
17
4
3
Amity
13
9
6
Amity
1760 Lincoln, John
1760 Lincoln [John?]
1760 Lincoln [John?]
1761 Lincoln Jn°.
[married men]
1762 Lincoln John
1762 Lincoln John
1763 Lincoln John
1763 Lincoln John
1764 Lincoln John
1765 Lincoln John
Although John Lincoln is mentioned in the land
papers as weaver by trade, he had other forms of
occupation. The following receipt, dated June 10,
1754, shows that he was engaged in the business of
hauling, at least at times :
Reed from Aquila Jones Sepr. 19th 1753 one
Ton Pigmetal wch J promice to Deliver to
Mr. Sam11 Seely at his forge on acct of Jno
Potts Esqr
Witness Jn° Sullivan John Lincon
There are a number of records of land transac
tions by John Lincoln in the land papers of Berks
County, as the following will show :
Grantee John Lincoln, June 13, 1748, Grantor John Loyd
and wife, Robeson, Lane. Co., book 8, page 400.
108 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Grantor John Lincoln, May 17, 1763, Grantee Jacob
Redcay, Robeson, book 8, page 402.
Grantee John Lincoln, June 14, 1763, Grantor John Camp
bell, Amity, book 4, page 319.
Grantor John Lincoln, May 20, 1765, Grantee Henry Leer,
Amity, book 4, page 323.
Grantee John Lincoln, May 27, 1765, Grantors William
Boone, Jeremiah Boone, book 4, page 321.
Grantor John Lincoln, June 13, 1765, Grantee Jacob
Redcay, Union, book 8, page 404.
According to these deeds, John Lincoln and Re
becca, his wife, disposed of their important tracts of
land between 1763 and 1765, as follows :
1. They sold to Jacob Redcay, May 17, 1763, 120
acres of the land granted to John Lincoln by the Pro
prietary authority June 13, 1748, for the sum of
300 pounds.
2. They sold to Henry Lear, May 20, 1765, one
tract of 125 acres and another of 36 acres for 4
pounds per acre.
3. They sold to the aforesaid Jacob Redcay, June
13, 1765, 50 acres and 49 perches for the sum of
120 pounds.
Thus they sold altogether 331 acres and 49 perches
of land for the sum of 794 pounds in all, during
these two years.
Meanwhile John Lincoln had bought of John
Campbell, of Amity township, 36 acres of land for
100 pounds, and of William and Jeremiah Boone,
sons and executors of George Boone, of Exeter, 125

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION IO9
acres for the sum of 160 pounds. Thus he had in
vested during those two years 260 pounds in land
and realized 794 pounds from sales of land, leaving
a net cash balance of 534 pounds.
It is significant that the name of John Lincoln
disappears from the Berks County records about
1765. The question naturally arises : What became
of him ? The answer to this question is easily found
in the land records of Virginia. An original deed
found in the Recorder's Office of Staunton, Vir
ginia, and dated June 21, 1768, furnishes the desired
information :
This Indenture made the twenty first day of
June in the year of our Lord one thousand seven
hundred and sixty eight Between Zachariah and
Lydia Moses (Mases?) and Mary McKoy [Mc
Kay?] their wffes [sic] Robert and James McKoy
[McKay?] of the County of Fredrick and Colony
of Virginia of the one part and John Lincon of
the County of augusta and Colony aforesaid of
the other part — witnesseth that the said Zacha
riah and Lydia Moses and Mary McKay for and
in consideration of the sum of five shillings cur
rent money of Virginia unto them in hand paid
by the said John Lincon at or before the sealing
and Delivery of these Presents the Receipt where
of is hereby acknowledged hath granted Bar
gained and sold and by these Presents doth grant
bargain and sell unto the said John Lincon a tract
of Land containing six hundred acres more or
Less lying and being in the County of Augusta

IIO ABRAHAM LINCOLN
on Linwils Creek being a Parcel of twelve hun
dred acres granted by Patent to McCoy Duff
Green and Hite by Patent Bearing date the twen
ty six day of March 1739 and by them convey to
Robert McKay by Deeds of Lease and Release
dated the nineteenth and 20th days of June
MDCC46 and recorded in the County Court of
Augusta and by the said Robert McKay &c and
devised to the aforesaid Zachariah McKay and
Lydia Moses and Mary McKay their wifes [sic]
by his Last will and Testament Bearing Date the
day of MDCC duely Proved and
Recorded in the County Court of Augusta the
said tract being bounded as followeth to wit Be
ginning at a Black oak the south side of a ridge
corner to Tunis Vanpelt Land in original line N°.
54°. W. 662 Poles containuing that cost to the
Origenial [sic] Line thence N°. 370 degs. Et. 108
poles to Bomans Line in the Original line
thence S°. 260 W. 80 Poles to an off set in the
Original Line Running thence with the said Line
S°. 390 W. 108 Poles to the Place of Beginning
and all houses Orchards ways Waters Water
courses profits commodities hereditaments and
appurtenances whatsoever to the said Premises
hereby granted or any part thereof belonging or
in anywise appertaining and the Reversion and
Reversions Remainder and Remainders rents Is
sues and Profits thereof to have and to hold the
said six hundred acres more or Less of Land and
all and singular other the Premises is hereby
granted with the appurtenances unto the said John

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION III
Lincon and his Executors and administrators and
assigns from the day before the date hereof for
and During the full term and time of one whole
year from thence next ensuing fully to be com
plete and ended Yielding and Paying therefore
the rent of one pepper on Lady day next
if the same shall be Lawfully Demanded to the
Intent and purpose that by Virtue of these Pres
ents and of the statute for transferring uses into
Possession the said John Lincon may be in actual
Possession of the Premises and to be thereby en
abled to accept and take a grant and Release of
the Reversion and Inheritance thereof to him and
his heirs In Witness whereof the said Zachariah
and Lydia Moses and Mary McCoy their wifes
Roberd and James McCoy hath hath hereunto set
their hands and seals the day and year first above
written. Zachariah McKay. (L. S.)
Moses McKay. (L. S.)
Robert McKay. (L. S.)
James McKay (L. S.)
Sealed and Delivered
in the Presence of
Michael Waren.
his
John [8] Jackson.
mark
John Poage.
At a Court held for Augusta County August the
1 6th, 1768.
This Lease from Zachariah McKay Robert Mc-

112 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Kay Moses McKay and James McKay to John
Lincon was Proved by the oaths of the Witnesses
thereto and Ordered to be Recorded.
Test John Madison
Copied from Deed Book No. 15 Page 50
Clerk's Office of the Circuit Court for Augusta
County, Virginia. Harry Burnett, Clerk.
[The record shows that the sum of £250 was
paid. The forms of the name 'McKay' and 'Mc
Koy' (as written at the beginning of the deed)
are, of course, identical.]
It is clear from the deed that John Lincoln had
migrated to Virginia between the years 1765 and
1768. The fact that the signatures of John Lincoln
and the mark of Rebecca Lincoln, his wife, are
identical in the land documents of Berks County,
Pennsylvania and in those of Augusta County, Vir
ginia, leaves no possible doubt of the identity of the
persons themselves. The signature of John Lincoln
in the Virginia deed of 1773 is very poor, but never
theless legible. By an omission easily explained, the
usual mark or sign of Rebecca's "mark" was not
affixed to the document here reproduced, but that her
signature was certified to is indicated in the re
corded deed. It was our good fortune to find a par
ticularly good specimen of John Lincoln's signature
in an old receipt found in the collections of Ex-Gov
ernor Pennypacker, who generously allowed it to be
reproduced in this work. In the light of these docu-

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.JA^ tS»

Deed of John and Rebecca Lincoln to Isaac Lincoln, Conveying
Land on Linville's Creek in 1773.

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Deed of John and Rebecca Lincoln to Isaac Lincoln, Conveying
Land on Linville's Creek in 1773.

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION II3
ments, the current statement that John Lincoln went
to Virginia to settle about 1750, at the time when
Daniel Boone left Berks County, Pennsylvania, for
the South, must be considered incorrect. Never
theless, it was in the track of Daniel Boone that
John Lincoln found his way to Virginia and the
tradition that Daniel Boone stopped for a time on
Linvill's Creek in Augusta (now Rockingham)
County, Virginia, doubtless reflects important his
tory in connection with the migration from Penn
sylvania to Virginia. Moreover, the intimate rela
tions of the Lincolns and the Boones in Berks
County, Pennsylvania, give us the motive for such
migration at this time.
The land records of Virginia show also how John
Lincoln distributed his land in Augusta County to
his sons. In the following deed, dated August 12,
1773, he conveys to his son, Isaac Lincoln, 215 acres
of his 600 acre purchase of 1768, as the text of the
document will show :
This Indenture made the Twelfth day of
August in the year of our Lord one thousand
seven hundred and Seventy three Between John
Lincoln and Rebeca his wife of Augusta County
& Colony of Virginia of the one part and Isaac
Lincoln of the County and Colony aforesaid of
the other Part Witnesseth that for and in consid
eration of the sum of Twenty Pounds Current
mony of Virginia to the said John Lincoln in hand
Paid by the said Isaac Lincoln at or before the

114 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Sealing & delivering of these Presents the receipt
he doth hereby Acknowledge & thereof doth re
lease acquit and Discharge the said Isaac Lincoln
his Executors & Administrators by these Presents
that the said John Lincoln Hath Granted Bar
gained sold Aliened released and Confirmed &
by these Presents doth Grant Bargain Sell Alien
release & Confirm unto the sd. Isaac Lincoln (in
his Actuall Possession now being by virtue of a
Bargain and Sale to him thereof made by the
said John Lincoln & Rebecca his wife for one
whole year by Indenture bearing date the day
next before the day of the date of these Presents
and by force of the Statute for Transfering uses
into Possession/ and his heirs one Certain Tract
or Parcel of Land Containing 215 acres Lying
and being in the County of Augusta on Lenvels
Creek being Part of Twelve Hundred acres
Granted to McKay Duff Green and Hite by Pat-
tent Bearing date the 26th. day of March 1739
and was by them Conveyed to Robert McKay by
deeds of Lease and Release Bearing date the 19th.
and 20th. days of June 1746 & recorded in the
County Court of Augusta & was by the said Rob
ert McKay Devised to Zachariah McKay Mosses
McKay Robert McKay and James McKay by his
Last will and Testament dated the 7th. day of
Octobed 1746 and recorded in the County Court
of Augusta and Six hundred Acres Part of the
Twelve hundred acres was Conveyed by the said
Zachariah McKay and Lydia his wife Mosses
McKay and Mary his wife Robert McKay and

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION IIS
James McKay unto the [said] John Lincoln by
deeds of Lease and release bearing date the 21st.
and 22nd., days of June, 1768 and recorded in the
County Court of Augusta and Bounded as follow-
eth, to wit : — Beginning at a Black and white oake
Saplings on the old line Corner to his Brother Ab
rahams Land & thence south 31 degrees west 16
poles to 2 white oake Saplins thence south 54
degrees east 240 Poles to the Creek a Marked
walnutt a Corner to the said Abrahams Land
north 86 degrees east 13 poles Crossing the Creek
to 2 Locusts thence North 39 degrees 8 poles to
a Black and white oak Saplins south 62 degrees
East 360 Poles to a Black oak Saplin on the old
Line north 60 degrees east 5 poles to 2 white oaks
an old Corner thence north 22 degrees east &
80 poles to 2 white oaks thence north 65^ de
grees west 360 poles to the Creek & the same
Course 252 poles to the Beginning and all houses
Buildings Orchards ways water water Courses
Profits Commodities Hereditaments and Appur
tenances whatsoever to the said Premises hereby
Granted or and Part thereof Belonging or in
any wise appertaining and the reversion and
reversions Remainder and Remainders Rents
Issues & Profits thereof and also all the es
tate right title Interest use Trust Property Claim
and demand and whatsoever of them the said
John Lincoln and Rebeca his wife of in and to
the said Premises and all deeds Evidences &
writings touching or in any wise Concerning the
same To have and To hold the Lands hereby Con-

Il6 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
veyed and all and Singular other the Premises
hereby Granted & released and every Part and
Parcel thereof with their and every of their Ap
purtenances unto the said Isaac Lincoln his heirs
and Assigns forever To the only proper use and
Behoof of him the said Isaac Lincoln his heirs
and Assigns forever and the said John Lincoln
and Rebeca his wife for themselves there heirs
Executors and Administrators doth Covenant
Promise & Grant to and with the said Isaac Lin
coln his heirs and Assigns by these Presents that
the said John Lincoln and Rebeca his wife now
at The time of Sealing and Delivering of these
Presents is Seized of a good sure Perfect and
Indefeasible estate of Inheritance in fee Simple
of and in the Premises hereby Granted and re
leased and that they have Good Power and Law
ful and Absolute Authority to Grant and Convey
the same to the said Isaac Lincoln in Manner and
form aforesaid and that the said Premises now
are and so forever hereafter shall remain and be
free and Clear of and from all former and other
Gifts Grants Bargains sales Dower rights and
title of dower Judgments Executions Titles
Troubles Charges and Encumbrances whatsoever
made done Committed or suffered by the said
John Lincoln & Rebeca his wife or any other Per
son or Persons whaostever [sic] (the Quit Rents
hereafter to Grow due and Payable to our Sover
eign Lord the king his heirs and Successors for
and in Respect of the Premises only excepted and
Foreprized) And Lastly that the said John Lin-

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 117
coin & Rebeca his Wife and there heirs all and Sin
gular the Premises hereby Granted & Released with
the Appurtenances unto the said Isaac Lincoln
his heirs and Assigns against them the said John
Lincoln and Rebeca his Wife and their heirs &
all and every other Person & Persons whatsoever
shall warrant and forever defend by these Pres
ents In witness whereof the said John Lincoln
and Rebeca his wife have hereunto set their hands
and Seals the day and year first Written.
John Lincoln, (L. S.)
her
Rebeckah R. Lincoln, (L. S.)
mark
Signed Sealed & Delivered —
In the Presence of —
Josiah Davison his
Cornelius [B] Briant
mark
her
Ann (.) Briant.
mark
At a Court held for Augusta County August the
17th., 1773.
This Release for Land from John Lincoln and
Rebecah his wife to Isaac Lincoln was Proved
by the Oaths of the witnesses thereto and Ordered
to be Recorded. Teste John Madison
A copy Teste : Harry Burnett, Clerk.

Il8 ABRAHAM LINCOLN

CHAPTER VII.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN OF VIRGINIA AND KENTUCKY.
Turning now to John Lincoln's son, Abraham, the
grandfather of President Lincoln, we find him also
carrying on extensive land transactions in Augusta
County, Virginia, and later in Kentucky. In addi
tion to his land mentioned in the deed to Isaac Lin
coln, his brother, given above, he buys additional
land. In a deed dated September 6, 1779, he buys
of Holten Munsey and Else, his wife, a tract of 52
acres of land for 500 pounds :
This Indenture Made the sixth day of Sep
tember in the year of our Lord one thousand
and Seven Hundred and Seventy Nine Between
Holten Muncey and Eles [Else?] his Wife of the
County of Rockingham and the State of Virginia
of the one part and Abraham Lincoln of the County
Afore Said and the State of Virginia of the Other
Part Witnesseth that for and in Consideration
of the sum of five Hundred Pounds Current
Money of Virginia in hand Paid to the said Hol
ten Muncey and his Wife by the said Abraham
Lincoln at Or before the Sealing and Delivery
of these Presents the Receipt whereof they Doth
hereby Acknowledge and thereof doth Release
Acquit and discharge the Said Abraham Lincoln
his heirs and assigns by these presents he the
Said Holten Muncey hath granted Bargined Sold
Aliened and Confirmed and by these Presents
doth grant Bargain Sell Alien and Confirme rent

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Signature of' Jacob Lincoln, Son of "Virginia John" Lincoln.

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION II9
[unto?] the said Abraham Lincoln his heirs and
Assigns for Ever one Sertain tract or Parsel of
land Containing fifty two Acres lying and being
on Linvils Creek in the County of Rockingham
and Bounded as followeth Viz Begining at a white
Oak on Said Lincolns Line thence Crossing the
tract S. 42 W. 104 poles to A white Oak thence
S. E. 34 Poles to A wite [sic] Oak tree and two
Saplins thence N. 76 E. 76 Poales to a Locast
Steak thence S. 52 E. 41 Poales to a Locast stake
thence North 36 E 55 Poales to 2 Small hickeries
thence with the old Line to the Beginning Corner
Containing fifty two Accres Be the Same More
or Less Being formerly Convaid to the Said Hol
ten Muncey by Tunis Vanpelt and Thomas Bri
ant by Deeds of Leas and Releas dated 
the said tract of Land being Part of A larger
Tract of Seven thousand and Nine Acres Granted
to Jost Hite Robert McCoy Robert Green and
William Duff By Patent Bearing Date the twenty
Six day of March 1739 and all houses Buildings
orchards Ways waters water Corses profits Com
modities Hereditaments and Appurtenance What
soever to the Said Premises hereby Granted or
Any Part Thereof Belonging to or in Any Wise
Apertaining and the Reversion and Reversions
Remainder and Remainders Rents Issues and
Profits there of and also all the Estate Right Title
Use Trust Profit or Claim or demand Whatso
ever of him the Said Holten Muncey of In and to
the Said Premises and all Deeds Evidences and
Writings Touching or in Any Wise Concerning
the same to have and to hold the Lands hereby
Conveyed and all and Singular other the prem-

120 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
ises hereby bargained and Sold and every part
and parcel thereof with their and every part of
their appurtenances unto the said Abraham Lin
coln his heirs and assigns forever to the only
proper use and Behoof of him the said Abraham
Lincoln & of his heirs and assigns forever and
the said Holton Muncey and Alee [=Elsi] his
wife for themselves their heirs and assigns by
these presents that Holton Muncey [and] Alee his
wife now at the Time of Sealing and Delivering of
these presents is Seized of a good Sure perfect and
Indefeasable Estate of Inheritance in Fee simple
of and in the said premises hereby granted and
that they have good power Lawfull and absolute
Right and Authority to grant and Convey the
same to the said Abraham Lincoln in manner
and form aforesaid and that the premises now
are & so forever hereafter shall Remain and be
free and Clear of and from all others and former
gifts grants Bargains Sales Dower Right and
Title of Dower — Judgments Executions Titles
Troubles Charges and Incumbrances Whatsoever
Made Done Committed or Suffered by the Said
Holton Muncey or Alee his Wife or any other
person or persons Whatsoever (The Assessment
hereafter to grow Due and payable to the Collec
tor for the time being for the use of the Common
wealth of Virginia) for and in Respect of the
premises only Excepted and and [sic] foreprized
and the said Holton Muncey and Alee his wife and
their heirs and all and Singular the premises here
by granted with their appurtenances unto the said
Abraham Lincoln his heirs and assigns against
them the said Holton Muncey and Alee his Wife

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 121
and their heirs and all and every other person or
persons Whatsoever Shall and Will Warrant and
forever defend by these presents and Lastly that
the said Holton Muncey and Alee his Wife and
their heirs and every other person or persons and
their heirs anything Having and Claiming in the
premises herein before Mentioned or Intended to
be hereby Bargained and sold shall and Will from
time to time and at all times hereafter at the
Reasonable request and at the proper Costs and
Charges in the Law of him the Said Abraham
Lincoln his heirs or assigns make do and execute
or procure to be made done and executed all and
every such farther and other Reasonable Act and
Acts thing or things conveyances assurances for
their Better and more effectual conveying and
assuring the premises afforesaid with their and
every of their apurtenances unto the said Abra
ham Lincoln his heirs and assigns as by the said
Abraham Lincoln his heirs or assigns or their
Council Learned in the Law shall be Reasonably
advised Devised or Required. In Witness where
of the said Holton Muncey and Alee his Wife
have herewith set their hands and Seals the day
and year first above Written. holten Munsey (Seal)
her
Elsi [X] Muncy (Seal)

mark

Sealed and Delivered
In the presence of
John Heaton
Chas Mair
Jacob Lincoln

122 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
At a court held for Rockingham County the 22
Day of November 1779 This Deed of Bargain &
Sale for Holton Muncy to Abraham Lincoln was
proved by the Oaths of the witneses thereto &
ordered to be recorded
Test. Pet'. Hog C. R. c.
Monsey to
Lincoln No & Sale 91
Record* & Examd
? Ervin C. R. C.
Recorded in Burnt Records
Deed Book No. O page 53
C. H. Brunk D. C.
[The correct form of the name in this deed
seems to be 'Holten' although toward the end of
the deed it is written 'Holton.' It will be noted
too that the last name is written 'Munsey' 'Mun
cey,' 'Muncy.' In like manner the wife's name
is written 'Eles,' 'Alee,' and 'Elsi' (in the signa
ture).]
The next year, 1780, we find a most important
land transaction of this Abraham Lincoln, the son
of "Virginia John," recorded in a deed dated Feb
ruary 18, 1780. By this document Abraham Lin
coln and his wife, "Batseb" (Bethsheba), sell to
Michael Shanks and John Ruef, also of the same
county (now Rockingham), 250 acres (part of the
original purchase of John Lincoln), for the sum of
5000 pounds. This price seems very high, but it

Old Lincoln House on Linville's Creek, Rockingham County, Virginia.
(As it Looked in 1905.)

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 1 23
must be remembered that Abraham Lincoln paid half
that price (10 pounds per acre) for the 52 acres
bought the year before. The text of the deed fol
lows: This Indenture made the Eighteenth day of
Feberuary [sic] in the Year of our Lord one
thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty Between
Abraham Lincolen of the County of Rockingham
and State of Virginia and Bersheba [Bethsheba?
not Barbara as the deed book has it] his wife of
the one part and Michel shanks and John Reuf
[Ruef] of the county and State aforesaid of the
other Part Witnesseth that for and in consid
eration of the sume of five Thousand Poundes
Current money of Virginia in hand paid unto the
said Abm Lincolen By the Said Michel shanks
at or Before the sealing and Delivery of these
presents the Receipt whereof they doth hereby
acknowledge and and thereof doth Release
aquit and Discharge the Said Michal [sic] shanks
his Heirs and assigns by these presents he the
said Abm Lincolen hath Granted Bargained Sold
Alien'd and Confirmed and by these presents
doth grant Bargain sell alien and Confirm unto
the said Michal shanks and their heirs and as
signs for ever one Certain Tract of Land Con
taining two hundred and fifty acres Being a part
of twele [twelve] hundred acres Granted to Mc
Kay Duff Green and Hite By patent bearing Date
twenty six dayes [sic] March 1739 and by them
Conveyed to Robert McKay by Deeds of Lease
and Release bearing date the nineteenth and

124 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
twenty Dayes of June 1746 and by the Said Rob
ert McKay Devised to the afor said Zacha
riah mcKay Moses McKay Robert McKay
and the aforsaid McKayes convey to John Lin
colen six hundred acres of the forsaid Land by
Deed of Lease and Realse [sic?] bearing Date
the twenty Second day of June 1768 and John
Lincolen Conveyed apart of this within mentioned
two hundred and fifty acres to Abraham Lincolen
and Tunis Vanpelt Thos Bryan and Holten Mun
cey Conveyed the Rest the said Land to abrm
Lincolen Lying and being on the North side of
Linvils Creek Beginning at a Locust Stake and
walnut stump on the North side of Linvils Creek
thence along the old Line South thirty seven De
grees West Seventy Eight Poles to a black oak
corner to Tunis Vanpelt North fifty five and a
half Degrees West one hundred and twenty four
poles to white oak one [sic] said line : south forty
two Degrees West one hundred & four Poles to a
whit oak South East thirty Poles to white oak
and two Sapplins North Seventy six Degrees
East seventy six Poles near to a white oak South
twenty five Degrees East forty one Poles to a
locust Stake North thirty six Degrees East fifty
eight Poles to two smal Hicorys south fifty five
y2 Degrees East one Hundred and Thirty six
poles to the Creek near a sycemore [sic] and
thorn thence down the Creek the several courses
to a walnut to his Br Isaces [sic] line North
fifty four Degrees West two hundred and
forty Poles to two small white oak North thirty
one Degrees East sixteen Poles to a black oak

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 1 25
Saplin on the old lin * * * with all Houses
Buildings orchards wayes water Courses Profits
Commoditys Hereditaments and appurtenances
whatsoever to the Said Premises hereby granted
or any part thereof Belonging or in any wise ap
pertaining and the Reversion and Reversions
Remainder and Remainders Rents Issues &
Profits thereof and also all the Estate Right Title
use Trust Property or Claim or Demand whatso
ever of him the Said Abraham Lincolen of In
and to the Said Premises and all Deeds Evi
dences and writings Touching or In any wise
Concerning the same To Have and to Hold the
land hereby conveyed and all and Singular other
the Premises hereby Bargained and sold and Ev
ery Part and Parcle thereof with their and every
of their appurtenances unto the said man Michal
shanks His Heirs and assigns for Ever to the
only proper use and Behoof of them Michal
Shanks and of his heirs and assigns for ever and
the Said Abraham Lincolen and Bashaba his wife
for them selves theire Heirs and assigns by these
Presents Abm Lincolen and his wife at the time
of the Sealing and Delivery of these Presents
is Seized of a good Sure Perfect and Indefeaz-
able Estate of Inheritance In fee Simple of and
In the said premises Hereby Granted and he
Hath good Power and Lawfull and absolute
right and authority to grant and Convey the
same to the said Michal Shanks In manner and
form aforsaid and that the premises now are and
so for ever hereafter shall remain and be free
and clear of and from all former and other Gifts

126 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Grants Bargains Sales rights titles of Dowers
Dower Judgments Executions Titles Troubles
Charges and Incumberances whatsoever Made
done Commited or Suffred By the said Abm
Lincolen and Basheba his wife or any other per
son or persons whatsoever the assement [assess
ment] hereafter to grow dwe [due] and Pay
able to the Collectors for the Time being for the
use of the Commonwealth of Virginia for and
In Prospect of the Said Premises only Excepted
and forprized and the said Abm Lincolen and
Bathsheba his wife and theire Heirs all and sin
gular the Premises hereby granted with the ap
purtenances unto the said Michal shanks His heirs
and assigns against them the said Abm Lincolen
and Bathshaba his weife [sic] and theire heirs and
all and Every other Person [or] Persons whatso
ever shall and will Warrent and for Ever Defend
by these Presents and Lastly that the said Abm
Lincolen and Bathshabe his weife and theire Heirs
and Every other Person or Persons and theire
Heirs any thing having and Claiming In the
Premises herein before mentioned or Intended to
be hereby Bargained and sold shall and will from
time to time and at all Times hereafter at the
Reasonable Request and at the proper cost and
charges in the Laue of them the Said Michal
shanks His heirs or assigns make do and Exe
cute or Procure to be made done and Executed
all and Ewery such further and other Reasonable
Act and acts thing or things Conveyances and
assurances for theire further Better and more
Effectual, Conveying and Assuring the Premises

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(p.,.., j trS]<A<„tA \\fn i^j/^Ar^A^A'^rY^A'y^ , £,:Jj /Aa. Ai. „.

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Signature of Abraham and Bathseba Lincoln, Grandfather and Grandmother of
President Lincoln.

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 1 27
aforsaid with their and Every of their appurten
ances unto the said Michal Shanks His Heirs and
assigns as by the said Abraham Lincolen his heirs
or assignes or their councils Learned in the Laue
shall be Reasonable advised Devised or Required
in Witness whereof the said Abraham Lincolen
and Bathsheba his weufe [sic] Hath Hereunto set
theire hand and seal the day & year first above
written Abm Lincoln
Batseb Lincon
Seal'd and Deliver'd
In Presence of
Charles Mair
Solomon Mathews
George Chrisman
At a court held for Rockingham County the 26
Day of June 1780 This Deed of Bargain & Sale
from Abraham Lincoln & Bersheba his Wife to
Michael Shanks was proved by the Oath of
Charles Mair & George Chrisman & by the Sol
emn affirmation of Solomon Mathews the wit
nesses thereto and ordered to be recorded by the
Court. Pet'. Hog C. R. C.
This sale was made about the time Abraham Lin
coln purchased land in Kentucky. The next record
we have of him is found in the Land Office of Larue
County, Kentucky. The original grant is repro
duced here and shows the form "Linkhorn" which
has given rise to the theory of the German origin
of Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln soon went with his

128 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
family, including his son Thomas, the father of the
President, to settle in Kentucky (then a part of
Virginia). The following additional land transactions of the
Lincolns are recorded in the deed books of Harrison
burg, Virginia, before 1802:
Grantee Jacob Lincoln, Aug. 28, 1778, Grantor Tunis
Vanpelt, book OO, p. 344.
Grantor Isaac Lincoln, Apr. 24, 1779, Grantee John
Kring ( ?), book OOO, p. 345-
Grantor Isaac Lincoln, Apr. 24, 1779, Grantee Philip
Rimel ( ?), book OOO, p. 345-
Grantee John Lincoln, Apr. 28, 1787, Grantors John
Thomas et ux., book OO, p. 362.
Grantee John Lincoln, Sept. 28, 1790, Grantor Robert
Harrison, book OO, p. 371.
Grantors Thomas Lincoln et ux., July 25, 1791, Grantee
Jacob Lincoln, book OOO, 373.
Grantee John Lincoln, Apr. 28, 1794, Grantor Henry
Whisler, book OO, p. 25.
Grantee John Lincoln, June 28, 1796, Grantors Henry
Nave et ux., book OO, p. 160.
Grantee John Lincoln, Oct. 28, 1796, Grantor Jacob
Casner, book OO, p. 181.
Grantee Jacob Lincoln, Oct. 16, 1797, Grantors Thomas
Vance et ux., book OO, p. 252.
Grantee Jacob Lincoln, July 16, 1798, Grantor Thomas
Leach, book OO, p. 298.
Grantors John Lincoln et ux., June 21, 1801, Grantee John
Raider, book OOO, p. 433-
The following early epitaphs were found in the
old Lincoln Burying Ground on Linville Creek :
To the | Memory | of | Jacob Lincoln Sr who
was born on the 18th | day of November 1751

Present View of Linville's Creek where it Passes Through the
Original Lincoln Tracts.

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 129
and | departed this life on the | 20th day of Feb
ruary 1822 | aged 71 years 9 Months | and 2 days.
Sacred | to the Memory of | John Lincoln |
who departed this life | on the 13th [ ?] day of
July 1818 | aged 35 years | and 5 months and 4
days. Abraham Lincoln | Born March 15 | 1799 |
Died June 18. 185 1 | Aged 52 years 2 mo's | &
29 days.
It will thus appear that the interests of the Lin
colns in the Linville Creek Region were extensive.
Later it was complicated by the arrival of other
members of the Lincoln family from Pennsylvania.
Mordecai Lincoln, son of Mordecai the elder of Exe
ter, settled in Union Township, Fayette County, and
died there in 18 12. Most of his children seem to have
gone to settle in the Valley of Virginia. Michael
Lincoln, the son of Thomas, son of Mordecai, the
elder, of Exeter, settled in Buffalo Valley. Hananiah
Lincoln, son of Mordecai of Exeter, after serving in
the 1 2th Pennsylvania Regiment in the Revolution,
joined Daniel Boone's settlement in Kentucky,
Sarah Lincoln, daughter of Mordecai of Exeter,
married Joshua Davis, of the Juniata Valley.

I30 ABRAHAM LINCOLN

CHAPTER VIII.
THE FORMS OF THE NAME LINCOLN.
The argument in support of the theory that Abra
ham Lincoln was sprung from a German family by
the name of Linkhorn (written also Lincorn, Linck-
orn, Linckhorn), was based primarily upon this sup-
posable German form of the name, and, secondly,
upon the fact that Abraham Lincoln, the President
of the United States, was descended from a family
of that name in Berks County, Pennsylvania. It
will now be in place to discuss the validity of this
argument in the light of the documents already pre
sented in the foregoing pages.
The documents relating to the Lincoln family,
ranging all the way from Massachusetts to Ken
tucky, exhibit the following well authenticated forms
of the name Lincoln. In Masachusetts we find "Lin
coln," "Lincoen," a form in Abraham Lincoln's
direct line. In the New Jersey documents we find
"Lincoln," "Lincon," "Lincen," "Lincorn," Linc-
korn." In Pennsylvania we find "Lincoln," "Link-
coin," "Lincolin," "Lincorn," "Lingorn," "Lin-
korn," "Linkoln," "Linkoon." In Maryland we
find "Lincoln," "Lincolne," "Linckhorn." In Vir
ginia we find "Lincoln," "Lincolen," "Lincon." In
Kentucky we find "Lincoln," "Linkhorn." Thus
summing up the important forms we have the fol-

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Marriage Certificate of Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks.
(By the Courtesy of Col. R. T. Durrett.)
AN AMERICAN MIGRATION I3I
lowing: Lincoln, Lincolne, Lincolen, Linkcoln,
Lincon, Lincoen, Lincen, Linckon, Linkon, Link-
hoon, Linkorn, Linkhorn. In addition to these
forms of the name, that of "Linton" also has been
considered as synonymous with "Lincoln," but as
it seems, only sporadically, if at all.
As we have seen, the name and family of Lincoln
have been traced back to New England and thence
back to Old England, to the neighborhood of Hing
ham, whence a number of the New England settlers
came to Massachusetts and here formed a settlement,
which likewise was called Hingham. The name Lin
coln itself is one of frequent occurrence in English
records, and is applied both to persons and to places.
It is usually derived from the two words Lind and
Colonia, which as a compound, under the laws of
euphonic change, would give Lincolonia and Lin
colne or Lincoln.
The correct and, at the same time, the most per
sistent form of the name is Lincoln. All the other
forms are but natural variations in the speech of the
people or in the orthography of the scribe. There
seems to be no evidence that any of the forms of the
name are of German origin. The form which gave
rise to the theory of Lincoln's German ancestry was,
of course, Linkhorn and its variations, which occur,
as we have seen, over almost the entire territory
through which the family migrated.
In order to make the argument clearer, let us ex
amine the various forms of the name and their iden-

132 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
tity, from the philological point of view. The form
Lincolne explains itself, as a variant spelling quite
common in the colonial and earlier records. The
form Linkoln is simply a more phonetic spelling
with "k" instead of hard "c." The form Linkolen
is the same form with the liquid made more vocalic
by the addition of an "e" before the "n," which is
a very common characteristic of the folkspeech. The
form Lincoin or Lincoen is simply a vocalization of
the liquid "1," which is also a common phonetic phe
nomenon. The forms Lincon, Linckon, Linkon, all
represent the same sound and exhibit a form of the
name in which the liquid has become silent and thus
dropped in the pronunciation as well as in the
orthography — also a well-known phenomenon in the
folkspeech. The pseudo-German forms, Linkhorn,
Linkorn, Lincorn, which seem to offer the most diffi
culty, are really very simple, well authenticated pho
netic changes which are found in the literatures and
are still going on in the speech of both Germanic and
Romanic peoples, namely, the simple interchange of
liquids, in this case the substitution of r for /.
Thus we see that all of the forms of the name Lin
coln are natural variants, entirely in keeping with the
traditions of English speech and orthography.
Having disposed of the pseudo-German form of
the name, let us consider the occurrence of it outside
of the Lincoln family. If the presumable German
forms, Linkorn, Lincorn, etc., were German, we
should naturally expect to find them occurring as

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t^ti^Y^ \

Marriage Bond and Certificate of Thomas Lincoln.
(By Courtesy of Col. R. T. Durrett.)

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 1 33
independent German names in lists of German set
tlers or in German communities, where they could
not possibly be confused with the English name Lin
coln. A diligent search, however, in the directories
of the most German communities of Pennsylvania,
has failed to produce a single occurrence of the
name, not identical with that of Lincoln. Neither
city directories, nor land papers, nor other local rec
ords seem to contain any such German name.
That these supposed German forms of the name
are all clearly understood to be variations of the
name Lincoln, is amply attested and positively dem
onstrated by the documents themselves, and particu
larly by the signatures, which show that all these
variations of the name are identical with the forms
Lincoln and Lincon, which often occur in two or
three forms in the same document. The final incon-
testible proof of the identity of the forms Linkhorn,
etc., with Lincoln, etc., however, is found in two doc
uments in the land records. One of these documents
is a deed dated May 26, 1726, conveying land from
Richard Salter, of New Jersey, to Mordecai Lincon
(or Lincen). The document contains this statement
in regard to the form of the name Lincen or Lincon :
John Anderson Examined & agrees with the
original the word (Lincen) in the 11th line under
lined was by mistake in Recording. John Terrill
Reg (see p. 26 above).
This shows clearly the identification of the form

134 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Lincoln, which is the normal form recognized by the
scribe in this document, and the form Lincen or
Lincon. The other document mentioned above furnishes
the clinching argument for the identity of the sup
posed German form of the name with the usual
English form, Lincoln. The document in question
is a deed recorded in City Hall, Philadelphia, bear
ing date April 4, 1794, and conveying land from
Philip Price and Hannah, his wife, of Kingsessing
Township, Philadelphia County, to Abraham Linck
horn, of the same township. This document con
tains the following notable passage :
"N. B. The surname of the second party to
this Indenture has been mispelled through Mis
information to the Scrivener, tho commonly pro
nounced as it is speled above, it is written
Lincoln."
Thus the name Lincoln, like the family, is not
German but English. The tradition which has taken
such a hold upon the German- American mind as to
give rise even to German poetry on Abraham Lin
coln as a German, must be considered as without
historic foundation.

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Deed Showing the Correct Name of "Lincoln," not "Linkhorn.
(Original in City Hall, Philadelphia.)

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 1 35

CHAPTER IX.
THE LINCOLN MIGRATION TYPICALLY AMERICAN.
One of the most important results of geneological
research in this country is, or should be, the new
light shed upon colonization and settlement in
America and the motives prompting migration to
new lands. It will appear from the foregoing re
searches that the Lincoln family is one of the most
typical and significant in American history.
The motive prompting the migration of the Lin
colns through the various provinces reflects in each
instance an important fact in the history of our
early settlements. In the first movement of the Lin
colns from Hingham and other parts of England,
they were prompted by the widespread desire to seek
a more favorable sphere of activity in the new
world. They formed part of a larger company of
emigrants who acquired land in the colony of
Massachusetts. It was one of those concerted emi
grations from a particular locality in the Old World
with the purpose of making a compact settlement
in the new land beyond the sea.
It can be clearly seen that the Lincoln family, like
most large families, represented a variety of occu
pations. One was a yeoman, another a miller,
another a weaver, all alert to the opportunities of
improving their several trades in the new environ-

I36 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
ment. So we have Thomas Lincoln, the yeoman or
husbandman, Thomas Lincoln, the miller, Samuel
Lincoln, the weaver, or at least the hired-man, or,
probably more exactly, the apprentice of a weaver.
As subsequent events indicate, the blacksmith trade
was doubtless understood and practiced by some of
the family.
It is the trade and industry of working iron which
seems to furnish a clue to the motive of the sons of
Mordecai Lincoln of Hull in their migration from
Massachusetts to New Jersey. Their father, Mor
decai of Hull, had already become an important
factor in the iron industry of Massachusetts, having,
as we have seen, a considerable share in the erection
of the iron works at Bound Brook, Massachusetts,
and having brought the iron industry to the highest
point of perfection in the colony at that time by
building a Catalan forge for making wrought iron.
It is significant that Mordecai Lincoln and Abraham,
his brother, sons of Mordecai of Hull, migrated to
that part of New Jersey in which iron had been
found — the Red Bank region — evidently with the
expectation that they might be able to develop the
iron industry in New Jersey. In addition to
their interests in iron, they naturally acquired land
in the new settlement and became important land
owners as well as ironmongers. We find Mordecai
Lincoln mentioned later as ironmonger in Pennsyl
vania, and Abraham we find designated as
"blacksmith", in addition to their occupation as
yeomen.

^^Li^ji^^^^M^K/- -. &AvA
OLD LiNCOLN CABIN,
'EAR. SPR/MG-r/FLD , WASHI N G-TON C~au h±TY. KY

(By the Courtesy of Mr. Thomas B. Kirpatrik, of Hodgenville, Ky. )

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 137
It is therefore, more than a simple accident, or
coincidence, that we find Mordecai Lincoln taking
up land later in the French Creek region, that part
of Pennsylvania in which the iron industry was
developing and in which he erects a forge and car
ries on extensive iron operations, thus deserving the
appellation of "ironmonger" in the old deed. In the
case of Abraham, who settled in Springfield Town
ship, Chester County, Pennsylvania, other motives
may have operated to determine the place of his
settlement. In the early land records of Philadel
phia County, we find the name Saltar before 1700,
showing that the Saltars had purchased land in
Pennsylvania. As Mordecai Lincoln had married
Hannah Saltar, it is quite likely that his attention,
as well as that of his brother, Abraham, had been
directed by the Saltar connections to the counties of
Philadelphia and Chester, and that both might have
settled nearer Philadelphia but for the fact that Mor
decai wished to carry on the industry of mining and
smelting iron, and so sought out the region of iron
deposits along French Creek.
In the case of the sons of Mordecai Lincoln, the
elder, of Exeter, Pennsylvania, son of Mordecai of
Hull, Massachusetts, we find some of the old tradi
tional trades re-appearing, as for example in John
Lincoln, who is mentioned in the land record as
"Weaver", showing that he had the trade of the
great-great grandfather Samuel Lincoln, the weaver-
apprentice and immigrant in Massachusetts.

I38 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
The migration of the Lincolns from Pennsylvania
to Virginia and other parts of the South and West,
reflects one of the most important movements of
American population — the movement along the
Great Valley and across the mountains into the
valleys of the Ohio and the Mississippi. It is along
this route that the migration of the Lincolns moved
from Berks County, Pennsylvania.
As early as 1710, the Swiss and Palatine Germans
under the guidance of De Graffenried settled at New
Bern, North Carolina, but were soon afterward
attacked by the Indians and massacred or dispersed.
The survivors took refuge in Virginia and formed a
settlement at Germanna in 1714. The eyes of the
Virginians had already been opened a hundred years
before to the excellent qualities of the German set
tlers as artisans and farmers. Governor Spottswood
now encouraged the Palatines to settle on his lands.
Even before 1720 the provincial council of Virginia
had devoted special attention to a general plan of
settling Palatines in the uplands of Virginia.
In this year, 1720, John van Meter, a trader from
the Hudson River region in New York, made a pros
pecting tour through the South Branch region of
Virginia. 1727 Isaac van Meter, the son of John,
visited the same region of Virginia. Meanwhile,
isolated settlers seem to have taken up land in the
Valley of Virginia. Adam Miller appears to have
settled there near Massanutting in 1726 or 1727. In
the year 1730, Isaac van Meter, and John his
brother, sons of the elder John, received patents of

The Cabin in which Abraham Lincoln, the President, was Born, February 12, 1809.

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 1 39
land from Governor Gouch, of Virginia. John van
Meter patented 10,000 acres at the forks of the
Shenandoah (Sherando or Shenando) and Cedar
Creek, Cedar Lick and Strong Lick, and 20,000
acres farther below. Isaac van Meter patented
10,000 acres in the lower valley.
In the year 1728 a serious event turned the atten
tion of Pennsylvania settlers toward Virginia. In
this year the Indians made a hostile attack upon the
settlement of Falkner Swamp and Goschenhoppen.
The settlers of Cold Brook Dale sent a petition to
Governor Gordon, of Pennsylvania, asking him to
protect them against the savages. Many of the
settlers, feeling insecure in Pennsylvania, began to
look for more favorable conditions in other prov
inces, and naturally turned their eyes in the direction
of Maryland and Virginia, toward which settlers
were beginning to move along the eastern slopes of
the Blue Ridge.
In the year 1732 Jost Hite (Justus Heid), a na
tive of Strassburg in Elsass, purchased land of the
Van Meters on the Opequon Creek and settled some
sixteen families from Lancaster County, Pennsyl
vania. Among the names of these settlers were,
George Bowman, Jacob Chrisman, Paul Froman
(all three sons-in-law of Hite), Robert McKay,
William Duff and Peter Stephen. They took the
route of the old Monocacy Road, by way of Har
per's Ferry, and settled five miles to the north of the
present Winchester. In 1733 Jacob Stauffer (or
Stover) received a grant of 5000 acres of land in

140 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
the Gerando (Shenando) region, farther up the
valley, toward the present site of Harrisonburg. The
old name of Strasburg, was Staufferstadt, and per
petuated the name of this early settler. In 1736
Peter Bowman appears among the settlers, and in
1738 Peter Franciscus. In 1746 we find William
Lenivell (or Linvill) taking up land along the Lin
ville Creek, which now bears his name.
A glance at the names of these early settlers in
the Valley of Virginia, and the references in the
land records show that many of them came from
what was old Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (in
cluding later Lancaster, York and Lebanon). The
earlier names, like "Bowman", "Franciscus",
"Funk", point directly to the early settlers in the
Pequea region of Lancaster County (then Chester
County) of 1710. Likewise the name "Lenivell"
or "Linvill" is one of frequent occurrence in Lan
caster County, covering entire pages of the old deed
books in the Recorder's office.
The contact between John Lincoln and this early
migration to Virginia is twofold. In the first place
John Lincoln owned land in Caernarvon Township,
Lancaster County, as well as in Amity and Union,
Berks County, and naturally came into touch with
the residents of that region who were migrating to
Virginia. In the second place he had a special
instance of such migration in his adventurous
neighbor and friend, Daniel Boone, of Oley.
Daniel Boone, of Oley, had set out with his
father and kinsman from Berks County, Pennsyl-

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 14*
vania, in 1750, with a view to settling in the Great
Valley. They took the usual route by Harper's
Ferry and passed up the Shenandoah Valley. Tradi
tion says — in this instance it doubtless reflects
history — that the Boones tarried a while on Linville
Creek, six miles north of Harrisonburg, Virginia.
In the following year, 1751, the Boones pressed on
through the Valley of Virginia to the Yadkin region,
where Squire Boone, Daniel's father, chose a claim
at Buffalo Lick, at the junction of Dutchman's Creek
and the north point of the Yadkin.
The ties of friendship between the Lincolns and
the Boones in Berks County were drawn closer by
the marriage of Abraham Lincoln, the posthumous
son of Mordecai, the elder, of Exeter, to Anna
Boone, July the 10th, 1760. It was thus natural
that John Lincoln, or "Virginia John", as he was
later called, and his kinsmen should be informed
of the wanderings of the Boones in the Great Valley.
Thus the motive of John Lincoln's migration to
Virginia is easily found. He, unlike the other sons
of Mordecai Lincoln, the elder, of Exeter, was not
attached to the soil of Pennsylvania by inheritance
but by the purchase of land, having received his part
of his father's estate in New Jersey, and afterwards
sold it for cash. Then, too, the opportunities of
acquiring large tracts of land in the Valley of Vir
ginia at a moderate price, and the fact that his
kinsmen and neighbors, the Boones, had already
migrated thither furnished further incentive.

142 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
The exact date of John Lincoln's migration from
Berks County, Pennsylvania, to Augusta County,
Virginia, cannot be fixed, but it must have been
between 1765, the year in which John Lincoln's
name ceases to appear in the tax lists of Berks
County, and 1768, the year in which he appears as
a resident of Augusta County, Virginia. As we have
seen he sold the major part of his land in Pennsyl
vania between the years 1763 and 1765. It is quite
likely that he went to Virginia in 1765 or 1766, and
like the Boones tarried in the Linville Creek region
until he could decide upon a place of residence.
Instead of following the Boones on to the Yadkin,
he purchased land on Linville Creek from the
McKays (or McCoys) and others who had received
an original grant. As the land records show, John
Lincoln later in life conveyed his land to his sons.
It will be remembered that Daniel Boone set out
from North Carolina for Transylvanian Virginia,
that region which is now known as Kentucky. In
1773 the Boones, with their families, left the Yadkin
to settle in the land then recently explored by Daniel
Boone, and met with the disastrious massacre in the
Cumberland Gap. Meanwhile this region, which
had been entered twenty years before by Governor
Spottswood, now attracted the attention of the
Washingtons — George Washington and his brothers
— of the Lees, and even of Benjamin Franklin.
Hundreds of settlers began to pour in through the
Ohio Valley, and founded the town of Louisville.

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Warrant Issued to Abraham Lincoln, in Kentucky, Showing the Name "Linkhorn.'

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 143
Early in the year 1780, three hundred so-called
family boats are said to have arrived at the Falls of
the Ohio. The Legislature of Virginia passed laws
for the protection and encouragement of the new
settlers. Naturally, the cismontane Virginians were eager
to seize the opportunity of acquiring new fertile
lands at the normal price of forty cents per acre.
It was in the midst of this rush for land in the Ohio
Valley, in the year 1780, that Abraham Lincoln, of
Linville Creek, Virginia, purchased four hundred
acres of land in Transylvanian Virginia, for the
sum of $160, and soon afterwards, having disposed
of his land on Linville Creek, as we have already
seen from the old deed, set out for the Valley of the
Ohio. The original warrant for this purchase of
four hundred acres, is here reproduced in fac-simile
and will speak for itself. The survey is dated May
7> I785-
In addition to this purchase, Abraham Lincoln
owned other lands in Kentucky. According to the
researches made by Colonel Reuben T. Durrett, of
Louisville, Kentucky, Abraham Lincoln owned the
following tracts of land in that region :
1. A tract containing four hundred acres, on
Long Run, a branch of Floyd's Fork, in Jefferson
County, entered May 29th, 1 780.
2. A tract of eight hundred acres on Green River,
near Green River Lick, entered June 7th, 1780.

144 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
3. A tract of five hundred acres in Campbell
County, surveyed September 27, 1798, and patented
June 30th, 1799, but taken up before his death in
1784. The tract of 500 acres, entered by Daniel Boone
in his Field Book, would seem to indicate still an
other purchase of land in the present Kentucky by
Abraham Lincoln. The warrant is No. 5994 and
Boone's survey entry is dated December 11, 1782.
A fac-simile may be found in Nicolay and Hay's
Abraham Lincoln.
The tradition that Abraham Lincoln went to
North Carolina is doubtless a reminiscence of the
route which he took to his newly acquired lands in
the present State of Kentucky. He followed nat
urally Boone's Wilderness Road, and probably joined
a company of settlers going that way at the time.
Thus we have followed the Lincolns in their
wanderings to the West, that region now known as
Kentucky, then still a part of the old territory of Vir
ginia. Abraham Lincoln was killed, as tradition has
it, in 1784, by the Indians, while at work with his
sons, Mordecai, Josiah and Thomas, in the clearings.
The older boys ran for help, Mordecai to the house
for the gun, and Josiah to the fort for men. Morde
cai returned with the gun in time to shoot the Indian
who was just about to scalp his six-year-old brother,
Thomas. This Thomas was the father of Abraham
Lincoln, the President of the United States.
It was the irony of American migration which

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/}Av CtAd ¦ - fjh*t AiAevi*. Mc**A -^>
Survey of the Fikst Warrant of Land to Abraham Lincoln in
Kentucky (then Virginia).

AN AMERICAN MIGRATION 145
reared the great emancipator of the slaves on the
Blue Grass soil of Kentucky. Abraham Lincoln
was in a peculiar sense the heir of all the great Amer
ican traditions. Sprung from an English family,
which had been inured to the hardships of New
England, tarried among the early Dutch and English
settlers of East Jersey, taken root and thrown among
the Germans and Quakers of Pennsylvania, shared
the adventures and perils of the frontier life of Vir
ginia and Kentucky, Abraham Lincoln was the best
example of that sturdy, fearless American citizen
ship, great not because he made far-seeing plans of
self-glorification, but because he possessed that in
herent heroism and devotion to duty which pre
pared him for all emergencies, even those of civil
war, and won for him the enduring names of Eman
cipator of American Slaves and Martyr President of
the Republic of Freemen.

Map of the Migration of the Lincolns from Hingham, Mass., to Kentucky.
The Marks X Indicates Hingham, Mass., Red Bank, N. J., Coventry, Pa.,
Linville's Creek, Va., and Hodgenville, Ky.

INDEX OF LINCOLNS REFERRED TO IN
THIS WORK
Lincoln, Abraham, President  i, 2, 6, 67, 145
Lincoln (Lincon), Abraham, of Exeter  67, 68, 70, 77
79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 85, 86, 87, 88, 90, 91, 92, 93. Hi
Lincoln, Abraham, son of Abraham, of Springfield,
54, 57. 58, 61, 62, 67, 136
Lincoln (Lincon), Abraham, of Springfield  7, 9. 32, 3i
34. 35. 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45
47, 48, Si. 52, 53, 54, 57, 60, 63
Lincoln, Abraham, of Va  2, 118 et seq., 134, 143 et seq.
Lincoln, Abraham M  97
Lincoln, Anna (Boone)  81, 93
Lincoln, Ann, daughter of Mordecai and Julian  97
Lincoln, Ann, daughter of John D  99
Lincoln, Ametia  99
Lincoln, Alice Dehaven  98
Lincoln, Alfred  99
Lincoln, Anne  9
Lincoln, Anne, daughter of Abraham, of Exeter  95
Lincoln, Anne, daughter of Mordecai, of Exeter  28
Lincoln, Anna, daughter of Abraham, of Exeter  95
Lincoln, Bathseba 
Lincoln, Catarina  65
Lincoln, Daniel, of Mass  5
Lincoln, Daniel, of Pa  65
Lincoln, David J  99
Lincoln, Deborah  21
Lincoln, Elizabeth, daughter of John D  99
Lincoln, Elizabeth, wife of Thomas, of Berks  77, 78
Lincoln, Elizabeth, of Scituate  7
Lincoln, George, of Hingham  6
Lincoln, Hannah, daughter of Mordecai, of Exeter  28
Lincoln, Hannah (Saltar)  10, 11, 13, 21
Lincoln, Harrison H  99
Lincoln, Harrison P  81, 99
Lincoln, Isaac, of Hull  7
(147)

I48 INDEX
Lincoln, Isaac, son of Abraham, of Springfield, 55, 56, 57, 58, 63, 64, 65
Lincoln, Isaac, son of "Virginia John"  116, 128
Lincoln, Jacob  65
Lincoln, Jacob, of Scituate  7
Lincoln, Jacob, son of Abraham, of Springfield, 54, 60, 61, 62, 65
Lincoln, Jacob, son of "Virginia John"  121, 128
Lincoln, James, son of Abraham, of Exeter  95, 99
Lincoln, John, son of Abraham, of Exeter  96, 99
Lincoln, John, son of Abraham, of Springfield. .54, 56, 57, 65
Lincoln, John, son of Jacob  65
Lincoln, John, son of John D  99
Lincoln, John ("Virginia John"), son of Mordecai, of Exeter,
28, 67, 80, 100, 101, 102, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108
109, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 122, 140, 141, 142
Lincoln, John D  81, 98, 99
Lincoln, John, of Witherne  3
Lincoln, Jon  9
Lincoln (Linckhorn), Jonathan  8
Lincoln (Linckhorne), Jn°  8
Lincoln, Julian (Mayberry)  97, 98
Lincoln, Margaret, daughter of Mordecai and Julian.... 97
Lincoln, Margaret (2), daughter of Mordecai and Julian. . 198
Lincoln, Martha, daughter of Abraham, of Exeter  94
Lincoln, Martha, daughter of John D  99
Lincoln, Martha, daughter of Thomas and Alice  98
Lincoln, Mary, daughter of Abraham, of Exeter  94
Lincoln, Mary, daughter of John D  99
Lincoln, Mary, daughter of Mordecai, of Exeter  28
Lincoln, Mary (Medley)  65
Lincoln, Mary (Rogers)  28, 29. 30, 31, 67, 70, 71
Lincoln, Mary, wife of Isaac  62, 64
Lincoln, Mordecai, of Exeter (and Monmouth)  7, 9, 10
11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25
26, 27, 29, 30, 67, 68, 70, 71, 72, 78, 80, 84, 89, 92
93, 100, 104, 129, 136, 137
Lincoln, Mordecai, of Hull  6, 7, 9, 67, 136
Lincoln, Mordecai, son of Abraham, of Exeter  94, 98

INDEX I49
Lincoln, Mordecai, son of Abraham, of Springfield, 55, 57, 63, 64
Lincoln, Mordecai, son of Mordecai, of Exeter,
28, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 81, 82, 85, 91, 129
Lincoln, Moses  65
Lincoln (Lincen or Lincon), Nathan  19, 20
Lincoln, Oscar  99
Lincoln, Phebe, daughter of Abraham, of Exeter  95
Lincoln, Rachel, daughter of Abraham, of Exeter  95
Lincoln, Rachel (2), daughter of Abraham, of Exeter. ... 96
Lincoln, Rachel, daughter of Mordecai and Julian  97
Lincoln, Rebecca, daughter of Abraham, of Springfield . . 55
Lincoln, Rebecca, wife of "Virginia John,'. .112, 115, 116, 117
Lincoln, Richard, of the Bail  3
Lincoln, Richard, son of John D  99
Lincoln, Robert  4
Lincoln (Lincoen), Samuel, the immigrant  4, 5
Lincoln, Sara, daughter of Abraham, of Springfield  56
Lincoln, Sarah, daughter of John D  99
Lincoln, Sarah, daughter of Mordecai, of Exeter  129
Lincoln, Sarah, of Hull  7
Lincoln, Hon. Solomon  1
Lincoln, Stephen  5
Lincoln, Thomas  1
Lincoln, Thomas, of Exeter,
28, 67, 70, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 79, 80, 82, 85, 89, 90, 91
Lincoln, Thomas, the cooper  4
Lincoln, Thomas, the husbandman  4, 136
Lincoln, Thomas, the miller  4, 136
Lincoln, Thomas, son of Abraham, of Exeter  96, 98
Lincoln, Thomas, the weaver  4, 6
Lincoln (Lincolne), Wm  8
Lincoln's Inn  7
Lincoln, the name  130 et seq.